XIII
by Shadoobie
Summary: (*Alternate Universe*) Freak of Nature. Less than human. What will become of the living weapon simply dubbed "XIII"? Inspired by "Weapon X" from Marvel Comics. (Eventual FLight)
1. Prologue

**XIII**

**Prologue**

Floating. I think that's what they call it. Floating, somewhere between asleep and awake. Sounds echo far away though they're right there, indistinct, muffled though they're mere inches from you. Faint sensation, tingling in the fingers and toes, though nothing else. You can feel your eyelids flutter but there's no light, no shapes, your eyes have rolled back. You're so deep down.

But she wasn't so deep, she could still feel, still hear with a mote of clarity. She could feel she was on her back, and she could hear voices bouncing around her. And all the while her body pulsed with pain. Dear god did it hurt, but there wasn't the capacity to move, or to do little more than groan at it.

_My god...is it coming around?_

_ No, sir. We're keeping XIII floating until we can finish with the nervous system mapping._

_ So...it can feel all of this?_

_ Mostly._

_ Poor thing._

I am not a thing. I am a human being.

No. No she wasn't. Not in the eyes of those that tore her apart, that butterflied her forearms from wrist to elbow and cut the bones out. That drilled steel nodes straight into her skull so they could track her brain activity. No. She wasn't human. She was an experiment.

She was L'Cie. She meant nothing.

Pain crackled through her arms, gnawing and scraping up and down the length of her, and all she could do was groan. She could feel her head slumping back and forth against a table in some sluggish form of protest, and then felt something warm splash against her face. It was her own blood, a surgeon having struck a vein as he carved out the radius in her left arm. The bones grew back, or at least they would given a few minutes. Fibers congealed from a pale, chalky gel secretion and lengthened, criss-crossing into what it had once been. Bones, marrow in the middle and everything. Three times, thrice for either arm the bones were removed, cleaned, and then passed off to another technician in a suit on a metal tray to take to another area of the computer crowded lab.

_Let me see that structure schematic._

_ Here it is._

_ Shit...we've gotta do all that?_

_ It's money, innit'? Just get busy or it'll heal up before we even start._

And they would have to work fast indeed to make this work, even with the immune-suppressive drugs being pumped through their subject at a rate that would have any normal person dead from the sniffles. Anything to keep the metabolism from keeping pace.

Pulling, pinching, stabbing, slicing. Gods, she could feel it. Air on muscle fibers, felt like rose thorns and razor blades. The pain radiated as they built an entirely new muscle group amongst those that were already there, forcing it with all the care of a rabid dog into the nook formed where the radius and ulna join at the elbow. It would go from there to just shy of the wrist.

She twisted against their hands, pulling only a little though she swore she felt her body lift from the table. To the surgeons it was just a jerk of her shoulders, barely noticeable, and a grunt of pained gibberish.

In that other area, more so another room entirely, there was a great commotion, a numbing whining of a high powered motor. Mindful of a diagram, a technician was grinding the bones down, forming them into something else. A set of six claw like blades, or that's what they would be after the next step. Marrow dust hung in the air, the stink of blood coupled with it. Freshly sharpened down to a paper thin fraction of its original shape, they were passed off once again. This time to a technician in a bright yellow hazmat suit. You couldn't see his face through the tinted plexiglass visor, and he took the bones with just a simple nod.

He would take them down the length of a corridor to a separate room, a room with six foot thick walls lined with lead and concrete. There was radiation in here, and gods knew nobody wanted a taste of that when they showed up for work.

Steady waves of radiation was the only thing that would make the material pliable enough for bonding, otherwise the shit was nigh on indestructible. And would be again once it cooled. There was a small vat of the liquified metal kept in a vault in this room, and through a massive glass observation window, you could see the red glowing of the reactor on the other side. The tech slid the vault open after putting in the necessary security code and only paused a moment to look into the bubbling, argent goo that writhed in the pickle bucket sized container in front of him.

Adamantium they called it.

One by one he took a pair of metal tongs, pinching the end of the bone claws to dip them into the vat. There was a low hissing, some bubbling as the metal bonded and burned the bone, and once it stopped, he lifted the newly formed claw out. In seconds the adamantium set. And that was that. With that completed, the claws were returned to the room they started in. They had to be sharpened.

Adamantium was funny shit. Wasn't much different from the mineral it shared a name with in that it could be damaged and worn away by itself. So, with this being said, it should come as no surprised that an adamantium plate would be needed on the grinder to get the razor edge the company was demanding.

Who's the company? I'll get to that.

Sparks flew, igniting the air in dying stars as metal struck metal, the whining of the motor overwhelmed with a horrible screech.

_Hurry up in there, will ya? Shit's killin' my ears!_

_Can't move any faster than the machine will allow. So take the damn things and be happy. Besides, you sound like you got it so rough._

_ I'm sick of lookin' at it. Gonna need to wash off with steel wool to feel better._

_ Well the sooner you stop bitching and finish your job, the sooner we can all go home._

_ Blow me._

_ You'd enjoy it too much._

She could feel the metal was cool. It sent a shiver through her livid body that even the surgeons picked up on. Everything stopped for a second, as if all of them were just waiting for her to jump off the table and kill each and every last one of them. There was even a collective sigh of relief when nothing happened.

The metal was cold, her rent flesh scalding hot, and each claw was set into the newly structured muscle groups and held fast with an organic epoxy. Just until the metabolism caught up and grew around them as theorized.

_How's the nervous system mapping?_

_ Just about finished, sir. Once we're done, we'll be able to see everything as it happens during the bonding process._

_ Good...good. How much longer?_

_ Gimme ten minutes._

_ You have five. Hurry up._

_ Yessir._

_ Will we doing the bonding tonight, sir?_

_ First thing in the morning._

_ Yes, sir._

Bonding? The hell was that supposed to mean? The only bonding she could stand to consider was that of her foot to the nearest backside. Now if she could just get feeling back in her legs.

_Gimme that tape over there._

_ Aren't you going to stitch it?_

_ Why? It'll seal up just fine on it's own, just need somethin' to hold it together._

_ Lazy cunt._

_ Yeah, yeah._

The pain would fade little by little, as her consciousness would, and she fell asleep on the table.

_(–)_

The man was bald, had glasses, and looked like the dorky doctor type. Which is exactly what he was."We need someone rather desperately, and you were the best we could find on such short notice that was actually available."

A woman of no more than mid-twenties sat across from the older man, pale rose bangs framing her brilliant cerulean eyes. They searched him over, her expression flat. "Uh-huh. So what is it you need? And I want specifics."

"Well, I'm not exactly at liberty to give many specifics."

"Then I guess this meeting's over."

"No, wait," he put out his hands, pleading, "I'll tell you what I can. You understand this is very sensitive stuff we're dealing with."

She would've gotten up, right as rain she would've, had done it before and was more than able. But she remained in her seat across from him. "Okay, that'll do if the price is right."

The older gentleman adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "I'm part of a joint-government weapons research group. We're going into a very crucial project at the moment, and we want extra hands on our security detail."

"What kind of weapons are we talking about?" She knew it had to be more than just guns, or even ICBMs, if he was being so hush-hush.

His lined features tightened, and he was slow to respond. "Well..."

"Okay, never mind." she nodded, understanding. "At least tell me who I'll be working for."

"Well, as head of security you'll answer to me and our project head, Mr. Rosch."

"That's not what I meant." there was a small smirk on her mouth. "Who's signing my checks? PSICOM?"

"Actually...yes."

"I see."

"I suppose that may be a problem?"

"No. Money's money." though now she had a sinking feeling of what was going down. She'd worked for PSICOM before, and it was never...black and white work. So the gods only knew what they were cooking up these days.

"So what's the salary?"

"Name your price." he smiled, somewhat smug. "That's how eager we are to bring you on board. We like your track record and know you could be a real asset."

She nodded, quiet at first. "I want ten thousand up front. And I'm bringing in my own gear."

"Done."

"Two thousand a month, and twenty-five thousand at the expiration of the contract."

"Done. Anything else?"

"What can you offer?"

"Private lodgings on base, guaranteed weekend passes...what else do you want?"

"That actually sounds pretty good."

"I have the file of everything you'll need to know right here." he slid the manilla folder across the slick table surface, watched with a quiet enthusiasm as she flipped it open and began to peruse it's contents.

"So tell me," she said after a long moment, quiet. "What happened to the last guy? Or should I not ask?"

"Well..."

"Yeah, never mind."

"So...you'll do it?"

"If the money's green enough...you got yourself a deal."

"Fantastic. I really appreciate your cooperation, Ms. Farron."

"Call me Lightning."

"Very well...Lightning," he thought the monicker weird, and it showed in the wavering of his vocal tone. "The briefing is tomorrow night, come ready to start."

"Always do."

_(–)_

So deep down.

Deeper than last time, but still vaguely aware. She could feel a pulsing pain in her arms still, like something cutting from the insides, but fuck all if she wanted to move them. No response, not even the slightest. And there was the sensation of bee stings all over. Her skull, her back, her legs, her hands, her chest, and it went down to the bone. Her muscles shook loosely at the sensation.

She could just remember moving, motion under her, something like that. The shifting of weight was distinct, but everything else was fuzzy, dull to her fractured thoughts turned to putty from the heavy doses of thorazine. She could remember a faint buzzing against her scalp, too, the itch of hair against her cheek. They'd cut it clean off, left her bald, sheared like a slaughter sheep so they would have clean flesh to work with. But it was already starting to grow back, dark, thick, and wild.

Two technicians were rolling the subject down the corridor on a gurney, one of them looking decidedly fatigued.

_I can't wait for this job to be over._

_ The day just started._

_ Nah, I mean this whole thing. I'm gettin' sick of it._

_ And you think the rest of us aren't?_

_ Yeah, I know...I guess I'm just tired of haulin' this thing around._

_ I don't know man, I think she's kind a cute._

_ Yeah, if you swing for freaks. I say nuke the whole damn lot of them._

_ That's not exactly our place to say, man. Just suck it up and do the work. The sooner it gets done, the sooner we all get to go home._

_ Wish you'd stop sayin' that._

_ Wish you would stop giving me reason too._

Into an elevator and up one floor, and then down another corridor.

There was a room above the reactor, its walls and floors thick enough to keep any occupants relatively safe from the radiation, and this was the technicians' destination. The first thing was to put on the hazmat suits that had been hung up by the door by the prep team that had been in there only minutes before, and they did so at a leisurely if not begrudged pace.

She heard the dull whirr of zippers pulling up, the rasp of plastic rubbing against plastic. Then she felt hands on her, gripping, lifting her up and moving her again.

There was a heavy lead hatch in the floor of this room, large and thick enough for two grown men to just barely be able to lift it. They pulled it up, the red glow from the reactor below filling the room.

_Shit, it's movin'._

_ Then give me the thorazine drip, I'll hook that up first._

A faint stab, thick pressure for a split second, then a chill she felt in her veins. Everything was starting to feel lighter.

_Let's be quick about it, don't want any more exposure than what's necessary._

_ I hear that._

So many wires, tubes, cords, all of them leading up to a massive nest of electronics mounted in the ceiling. And that was only half of it. There were what looked like spines all over her body, anchored in her flesh, and hollow. Each and every one of them touched a bone, the tips of syringes scraping into hard resistance. Each of them had to be hooked up as well, connected to the incredible nest of adamantium reservoirs that lay below, heated by the reactor so its contents remained in a liquid state.

Lastly, after all the connections were made and confirmed, a tether was cinched about the subject's waist. They'd have to pull her back out again.

_On three._

_ Ready._

Up. Then down, splash, then floating again, now physically as well as mentally. There was water, but she could still breathe. Something plastic, horrible tasting was stuck in her mouth, feeding her oxygen. She wanted to spit it out. The water was warm, almost too warm, and she could feel her arms being pulled downward with an unusual weight.

Now it was time for the next phase of the experiment. Which would be conducted from the safety of a separate room.

Lightning, now head of security and donning black fatigues, watched from a far corner of the room at all the busybodies moving around her. White coats in a blur between computer monitors and terminals, science jargon being hurled about like ping-pong balls. Everyone was trying to go between their apparent duties, and crowding around a large viewing screen that had yet to turn on, leaving only the blackened sheen of a moving reflection. They were all so excited, and from what Lightning could understand, rightfully so. This, so she had been told, was either going to be a scientific breakthrough of biblical proportions, or an equally sizable failure.

Though Lightning found herself dwelling from time to time on the second most still figure in the room. A massive brute of a man that stood in a very similar fashion to herself against a wall near the large screen. His hair was long, straight, only slightly tamed, and was the strangest mixture of black, violet, and gray she had ever seen. Wild tufts of hair grew along the hinge of his jaw, just there, and he seemed positively beastly in a sleeveless shirt that exposed the tattoo of XII on his upper arm. That and his ears were pricked. She had been listening, heard most of the doctors call him Twelve, others used his call-sign Tusk, and only one other used what had to be his given name. Caius. And that only one was a little girl, perhaps twelve or thirteen years old with strangely silver, long hair, that stood seemingly connected to his leg. She had a tattoo also. IX.

"I don't see why this is necessary." Caius grumbled to a doctor that stood near him.

"It's just a test," it was a woman, blond haired and big-busted. "We just want to see if it works."

"And if it does?"

"You mentioned your willingness to undergo the procedure. This is just less of a risk. It took us this long just to find someone with a mutation similar to yours."

"I didn't know you cared."

"I don't."

And with that Caius just huffed. Then he looked down to the girl hanging on the waist of his pants. "You should not be here, Yeul."

"I want to see." was her meek reply.

Lightning found herself staring, and then she turned away with the slightest shake of her head. _L'Cie are some twisted fucks._

Then the room suddenly went still and into a tizzy at the same time. A tizzy of sound that is, as the massive screen blinked to life. Red light bathed the room and the dozen heads that filled it. They could see into the reactor, into the water where XIII – dubbed so by a numerical tattoo on her left arm- was naked and bobbing like a dead fish, twisted up in cords and wires, eyes shut, fingers and toes twitching occasionally. Then there was a sudden rush, doctors and technicians scrambling to their designated stations. Again, more ping-pong jargon.

"Nervous system map?" it was Rosch who spoke, hands behind his back as he stood up straight, looking at the large monitor. He stood in the middle of the room, directing everything from there.

"One-hundred percent." a smaller monitor lit up with a digital recreation of XIII's nervous system, every nerve shimmering like mercury.

"Cardiotach?"

"Online...heart rate is normal. Pulse is stable."

"Got some funky activity in the brain. Like it's fightnin' to wake up."

"Increase the thorazine dosage."

"But it's already pushin' it, sir."

"Do it."

"A'right." a minute or two passed. "That seems to have worked. Otherwise...we're ready to go."

"Then let's begin." Rosch nodded once. "Start the feed."

She would feel it almost immediately, though it was dull at first. Heat. Incredible heat, searing straight to her bones. It burned...hotter, hotter, sweet gods, it _burned_.

"Steady."

"Feed."

"Suffusion?"

"Suffusion enacting, sir."

"Cardiotach?"

"Rising."

Lightning found herself unable to blink, watching undivided as liquid metal coursed through tubes and directly into that woman's body. There was a jerk in the limbs, the legs and chest, a blind thrashing. Poor thing was feeling it bad.

"Feed."

"Impeded."

"Compensate."

"Resistance."

"Maintain."

"Feed steady."

"Cardiotach?"

"Rising. Gettin' dangerous."

"Stabilize."

The thrashing was getting worse, clouds of bubbles erupting from the respirator, becoming more frequent. XIII's back arched sharply. Then it curled, fetal and rigid, pulling inward at the incredible, burning pain.

"Cardiotach?" his voice had roughened, perhaps his own adrenaline getting to him.

"Still rising. Poor thing's ticker's gonna pop, sir."

"Stabilize."

"It's gonna OD on the thorazine if we're not careful."

"Do it!"

Lightning watched the technician shake his head and follow through with the order. Her eyes strayed to the little girl, saw her watching the monitor as closely as everyone else. There was no emotion on her face, though an inquisitiveness to her eyes. She watched Caius kneel down beside the girl.

"What do you feel?" he asked quietly.

"Confusion...anger...she wants to die."

Caius looked up, taking in the image on the screen. "I would imagine so."

"Feed."

"Steady."

"Reservoirs?"

"Fifty percent."

"Suffusion?"

"Steady."

"Cardiotach?"

"High as a kite but holding steady."

"Maintain."

"This thing's skull's all lit up." and all heads seemed to turn at that moment to see the digital mess on the monitor. He wasn't kidding.

Lightning could feel her fists tightening from the place tucked against her arms. Watching this was starting to get pretty damn difficult. Normally she wouldn't care, L'Cie aren't people, but this was rough. No one should have to endure this. I mean, hot liquid metal bonded to your bones. That's not even something you wish on your enemy. That's too cruel.

The thrashing was so violent now. So much pain.

"Reservoirs?"

"Twenty-five percent, almost home."

"Cardiotach?"

"Steady."

"Suffusion?"

"Steady."

"Compound feed."

"Resistance."

"Maintain."

"Detecting symptoms of radiation poisoning," came the cautionary and vaulted tone of the big-busted doctor. Someone in the room gasped, looking at the monitor, seeing the developing sores on XIII's skin, chunks of flesh dissolving and split apart. They were healing as fast as they were forming, but that surely did nothing for the pure agony the L'Cie was surely feeling.

"Nervous system?"

"Showing signs of overload, sir." the mercury on the screen had become a mess of stars, all of them going supernova, representing the firing of nerves beset with pain.

"Metabolism?"

"Maintaining. It's actively fighting back...at everything!"

"If we suppress it the radiation could kill her."

"Maintain. Reservoirs?"

"Five percent remaining."

"Suffusion?"

"Stable."

"If this thing pulls through, I won't be surprised if it's brain dead."

Lightning was finding herself steadily amazed at the unanimous lack of genuine concern. It really was just an experiment to them.

"Reservoirs depleted."

"Cardiotach?"

"Leveling out."

Everyone watched with bated breath as XIII grew still, the thrashing steadily ceasing, the muscles loosening, sores closing.

"Everythin's quietenin' down." the statement had a degree of awe to it. "It's still alive."

"Amazing." Rosch grinned in approval, nodding once.

Caius still crouched beside Yeul, an arm around her comparatively tiny body. "What are you feeling now?"

"Nothing. Like...static. She's aware...yet unaware."

"Perhaps that's better. Come, let's go."

"All right."

"Let's get XIII under observation and prep for the next phase, people. No time like the present." came Rosch's barking of orders. The room was alight with movement and noise once again.

Lightning moved slowly, unwinding from the tight charges of energy that had been filling the room to the brim for the last half hour. My god. Who knew PSICOM was up to shit like this? Naturally she should've guessed, but...and to think the poor thing lived through it. Though there was no telling what remained of whoever it had been. Lightning had felt it though.

Something died.

She left the room, deciding she needed a coffee break.

_(–)_

Cow flop. She heard them say it, the sound crackling as if over a radio transmission. Cow flop. When you're there but not really there. The lights are on but no one's home. The engine's running but nobody's in the driver seat.

That felt about right.

Now she lay in a darkened cell, on the floor, nestled amongst a mess of cords, plastic coated wires and tubing. She shifted, feeling the ends of them pulling against her skin. They were attached, in her veins, her _guts_, keeping track of everything; heart rate, blood pressure, even the faint need to tap a kidney. Everything.

And there was pain, still so much pain. A dull burning in her bones and sandpaper sensation to her flesh. She moved against it, feeling her body vibrate with a groan. Her eyes opened, green, both vibrant and dull with an absence of awareness. That's when she heard the voice, someone saying she was _cow-flopped_.

_The radiation might've burned it right out._

But who wouldn't be after such a horrible dream? It was so damn real, so vivid, so fucking painful. The kind of pain that scorched your brains to sludge, left you feeling only half there, half dead. Though she could feel her body fighting it, struggling to recover. It was trying to push out the wires, the tubes keeping her nourished. But no dice. They were stuck like a bad habit. They weren't coming out.

Then her arms...Ragnarok's piss, did they hurt. From wrist to elbow it felt like they were split open, ripped from the inside out. She started to move. She needed to get up, needed to know what was going on. But all she could manage was a slight slump forward, her head lolling on her neck, eyes down. Her vision blurred, blood pressure spiking from the small movement, she found her hands, found herself fixed on them. She could feel her fingers again.

The digits flexed one by one, slowly, intentionally, then all together. Once, twice, three times, the last one with some purchase.

And that's when it happened. And it happened so fast, she didn't know what hit her. Not at first.

Blood spurt, no, gushed from the wounds that ripped open in her hands, between the fingers as the eight inch claws thrust forward with all the force of a steel trap. _Snikt_. That was the sound they made and it was coupled with the distinct splat of blood on a metal floor. She couldn't scream, couldn't find the sound in her, her body lurching forward and crashing to one side, the round of her shoulder smacking hard. Her mouth and eyes gaped, mortified, rivulets of crimson oozing down her palms and white hot pain shooting through her arms. In the dull glow of consoles in the wall she could make it out, the shimmer of her own blood dripping from the blades coming out of her hands. Out of her god damn _hands_!

Now she could scream, and the sounds were more akin to guttural roaring as the fear had given way to fury. There were no words, no expletives, just noise rattling out of her chest as her body writhed, arms clutching against her. A stray jerk of her head laid her cheek wide open, cut to the bone, the adamantium coating it now slightly tarnished. A sharp twist, a twitch of movement, and she was on her hands and perched on the balls of her feet. She had to get the pressure off of her skin, anything to take the edge off. The claws whined against the floor.

The door of the cell suddenly slid back, and in stepped someone in a white coat. Big mistake, he never could've guessed XIII's reaction to his presence. It was completely instinctual, and utterly destructive. She leaped at him, sprang forward in two great strides, and stuck him like a pig. Split him from crotch to collar bone as he gagged on the sudden flooding of blood into his lungs. The corpse crumpled there, just shy of the doorway, but all XIII could see was a way out, into the light of the corridor beyond.

A siren went off.

_Security! Security report to A-Block immediately!_

It was mere seconds before the entirety of the designated sector thundered with heavy footfalls, thick leather soles stomping in quick succession. Footprints tracking through a puddle of blood is what they found, a trail leading down the next passage. Wires had been cut, ripped free, and laid about the ground like dead snakes. Then there was the telling _BLAM_ of a discharged firearm. The guards went running headlong into it.

_Commander Lightning, your orders are to subdue and restrain XIII. Only non-lethal action is permitted._

"Understood." though she didn't like the sound of it. Something this dangerous, from what little she had seen just now, needed to be snuffed out. If for no other reason than its own good. "Fan out, no one goes anywhere alone, notify me as soon as you have a visual." and she pulled a compression pistol from a holster on her thigh before moving forward with the rest of the security detail.

All they had to do was follow the screaming, the trail of bodies. They would find XIII well enough, cornered at a dead end, the remnants of its latest victim spattered against the wall. XIII whipped around, wild green eyes affixed, and its face twisted into a savage snarl. It hunched, hands clutched into bloodied fists, claws forward and trembling with the tension that wracked the L'Cie's body. Then it screamed, a horrible shriek of a sound that was pure rage and nothing more, unbridled fury. The radiation had dulled its ability to think beyond instinct, to express beyond primitive noises. It left XIII stripped and raw. It came at them, muscles rippling, blood dripping in streams from the claws, teeth bared. Roaring.

There was no hesitation, no wasted time in giving the order, the security detail reacted. Guns raised, leveled, and opened wide.

It was a reflex, Lightning moved, dropping to one knee as she raised her pistol. Her head tilted into her shoulder, one eye squeezing shut, she leveled the sight on XIII's torso, and let her finger move on its own. One, two, three, eventually all six tranq darts in the magazine were discharged. Four hit XIII in the abdomen, causing the L'Cie to stagger, but it still pushed forward. It would eviscerate two more security officers before the sedative took full effect. Its wild eyes would roll back, the fury snuffed like a candle under a single breath, and it hit the floor face first. Like flipping a switch, and down it went. The claws slowly slid back, slipped out of sight with the slightest note of metal on metal.

In time the bodies would be gathered up, the blood washed away with a high pressure hose, and XIII was taken back to its cell. Almost like it never happened. But we all know it did, as did everyone in the lab that night. And there was footage from the security cameras that Lightning was forced to go over, perhaps discover some previously unseen mishap that lead up to the incident.

No. There was no mishap. That doctor had just been fucking stupid, going in there by himself being his grandest mistake. And that L'Cie was nothing but a monster. If it had been something resembling human, that similarity was long gone.

Still, Lightning found some sympathy. Poor thing went through hell. Guess it was only fair it got some payback. When she finished watching the footage she turned the monitor off, now alone in her personal quarters, and put her face in her hands. A heavy breath worked its way out of her, and for a long while she was still in the rolling chair, her elbows propped on the desk.

Author's Note: Don't know where this is going to go, to be honest. It's plaguing me like a zit on my backside, more so than Lords of Chaos at the moment. Do enjoy. And don't worry, it will eventually be romantic FLight. I'm actually taking a lot of cues from the Weapon X Saga by Berry Windsor-Smith on this, but I intend to further exploit my own twists as it goes on. And thanks to my reviewers and their flattering requests, but I'm already married. Also, I have some drawings for this AU on DA. Check 'em out if it pleases you. Thank you all for your patience as well. You're real troopers.


	2. Chapter 1

**XIII**

**Chapter One**

Rosch was buried eyeballs deep in a ledger when a confident, curt knock came upon his office door. He bid his visitor enter, only looking up when they had clicked the door shut behind them.

"Ah, commander, how prompt of you."

"You wanted to speak with me?" she inquired validation with a slightly lifted eyebrow.

"Yes. Have a seat. I wanted to chat with you about the incident the other night."

Lightning appeared puzzled as she tucked the chair beneath her, now settled across from him. "Did you not get my report?"

"Oh I did, read it through, was pleased with what I saw, although I often prefer to get some personal insight that might not be so proper on paper."

"I understand."

"So what would you make of it?"

"It was a stupid mistake on behalf of your staff, for starters." and her tone was level, almost flat even. She was telling things as she saw them. "With that being said, I think it never should have happened. I thought your people were better trained."

"As did I, and believe me, I feel very much the same about what lead up to the...confrontation." Rosch nodded slowly, his fingers laced in front of him. "And you handled the situation very well."

"Someone had to. I'll admit I had higher expectations of your security team. You'd think they'd never worked under pressure before."

"Most of them are young, fresh out of the military."

"It shows. It's going to get them all killed."

"Well, they're expendable, so I suppose that's why we don't put much into the hiring process. You'll have to forgive my apathy."

"No, no, I understand. It's not good to get attached in this...business."

"Too true." he nodded again. "But would you happen to have any other thoughts on the matter?"

"I think XIII should be put down, sir. If you want my honest opinion. Something like that stands to be a massive problem should it escape."

"It won't."

"It _could_, especially if you take your lackluster staff into consideration. It's a real possibility."

"I see your point. What would you propose be done about it?"

"They need better procedural training, that's for certain. You'd think they would have the common sense not to be around that thing by themselves."

"Indeed."

"And we're going to need something stouter in those tranq darts if you want to keep it quiet."

"How so?"

"It took four to put XIII on the floor, and that was after more than a minute, more than enough time for it to gut two more of your officers."

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"I'm not a chemist, that's your job. I'm just telling you what I need. Besides, I'm sure everyone here would work a little better if they knew they were safer."

"Again, good point. I knew there was a reason we hired you." and he chuckled a bit. "I've actually been contemplating the same issue, I suppose I was more so probing for a second opinion."

"I'd rather voice a shared concern than be the only one concerned about it."

"Indeed. Though, I have a question for you."

"And?"

"What do you think of them, L'Cie that is?"

"As little as possible."

"Considering your previous contracts, I would imagine so." he knew her background, all of PSICOM did. They wouldn't have hired her otherwise.

"The more I see, however, the more I find myself concerned at times."

"Oh? How so?"

"Just makes me wonder...what they're capable of. You never know."

"Fascinating, isn't it?"

She gave him a look, a single brow lifting sharply.

"Most of them are rather useless, if you think about it," he continued. "I've read a file about one that had a prehensile tongue. That was it. What on earth do you suppose he could do with that?"

"I'd rather not entertain the idea."

Another chuckle. "But then there are those chosen few that seem to be so...perfect. You've met Caius, I assume?"

"Yeah. Guy bothers me."

"He bothers a lot of us, believe me. Still, he is one of those...perfect ones. A mutation that is rather easily concealed, but useful. Enhanced senses, healing abilities, incredible strength...those like him make me believe the gods made L'Cie for a reason."

Lightning would admit, she was a little spooked now. This guy was sounding just shy of loony. "And that would be?"

"Why, to serve humans, for our betterment. What else could they be good for? Although I also believe that the gods were playing a joke when they chose to make them appear so human. Make it more difficult for us to see their true purpose."

"But what good could XIII possible do? You've burned the damn thing's mind right out of its head. It's an animal now."

"True," Rosch leaned back in his chair, legs crossing, his laced hands against his stomach. "But animals can be made to _behave_."

Lightning felt herself shudder at the word, maybe the way he said it, but in all the idea didn't sound too pleasant by any means. "Did Caius have to go to obedience school too?"

"Oh no, not at all. He actually came to us. Contrary to his appearance, he's incredibly intelligent. Almost scary to be honest."

Both of her brows lifted, eyes widening. She didn't expect to hear that. More so the prior explanation than the latter. She couldn't imagine anyone willingly coming into this sort of...thing. With that being said, she wasn't all too keen to ask for any details. "And there's thirteen of these things now?"

"Well, not exactly. There _have been_ thirteen conscripted to the program. Sad to say some simply didn't have what it took to continue working for us. They had showed promise in the beginning."

"You mean they're dead."

"I was trying to be gentle."

"Don't bother."

"I gathered." his brow waved once.

"So who's left?"

"One and VI are deployed at the moment, then you have IX, XII, and XIII here."

"What's the little girl's story?"

"She came in with Caius, I think he's taken her in as some surrogate child. I've never asked. But she's a very powerful telepath."

"How powerful are we talking?"

"Say there's a scale from one to ten. Even at her young age, she's rated as a seven."

Lightning only nodded, making a very plain mental note to keep her distance from that kid at all times. "And they just came out of nowhere?"

"Not entirely, though Caius did." and that admission seemed to genuinely bother Rosch a little. "Most of them we found out about one way or another."

"And XIII?"

Rosch cleared his throat, sitting up and leaning over the desk again, his elbows holding his weight. "Since the bonding process had been developed we had been looking for some time for a L'Cie with Caius' similar mutations. We wanted to test it, see if it was even feasible before putting him at risk. PSICOM had several potential candidates on file already, and we investigated each of them respectively. Though XIII was the only one that turned out valid."

"The others?"

"Weren't even L'Cie. Almost all of PSICOM's files on L'Cie are either proof positive or based on suspicion. A way has yet to be developed for identifying them otherwise. But, to make a long story short, we tracked XIII down, acquired her, and brought her here for the experiments."

"Acquired? You mean she didn't volunteer?"

"No. But who would miss a homeless wanderer? And a L'Cie no less."

"Good point." for a split second her eyes drew away from him, blinking once, and then returned.

"Sometimes these creatures need to be made aware of their purpose. I'm just doing my part. Naturally it's difficult at this time, but it will get easier. XIII will come around, given the chance."

"It'll have to be a hell of margin." Lightning laughed a little, the sound skeptical.

"Well, I'll admit, some of her behavioral problems might lie on my team's head. But we're working diligently to rectify them."

"You'll have to forgive my surprise." Although said shock didn't go far. She had the distinct feeling that if there wasn't the slightest chance of XIII becoming more complacent, they wouldn't trouble themselves with the effort.

"I do. I'm willing to guess you take me as a very egotistical, unfeeling man?"

"You'd be right."

"Not uncommon, believe me." he nodded. "I get that very often, and I'll confess that it is partially true. Do you think it's because I enjoy my work too much?"

"I wouldn't know." Hell of a personal question from someone she barely knew from Adam.

"No, I don't suppose you would." and his eyes went down, to the top of the desk and lingering there as if he was distantly in thought. Then they came back. "I'm to understand you'll be off base come the weekend?"

"Oh, yes, you heard right." the question came as a bit of a surprise. "I'll be back by Monday."

"Very well, I just wanted confirmation. Rumors tend to fly about a place as small as this. You're taking measures to leave us in capable hands, aren't you?"

"The best I can do at the moment."

"That's all I can ask for. Speaking of which, we should be a getting replacements on Tuesday. I would imagine you'll be left with the task of training them."

"Considering the disaster we had to sift through, I'll gladly take it." any opportunity to avoid another "confrontation" was one welcomed. "Is there anything else you wanted to discuss with me, sir? I should be getting to my rounds."

"Oh, of course, don't let me keep you any longer. Unfortunately I have work to do myself. Good afternoon, commander."

"Afternoon," and she felt a slight urge to gag as she left his office, though you wouldn't guess it by her stone cast features.

_(–)_

Duress. Physical and mental strain.

They wanted, _needed_ to know just how much XIII could take. How much could this L'Cie stand before it cracked? How many hits could it take before it stayed down? Well, there are only so many ways to find that out. By now XIII was bugged up like a Christmas tree, and that was just on the inside, wires lacing just beneath the first few layers of skin from head to toe. Then take into account all of the flickering sensors and kibble pocking her skin on the outside, you'd think she had enough hardware in her body to pick up radio waves from across the country. She could, that is, if you switched a wire or two.

All of it was meant to keep track of the nerve activity during the experiment, to document it as well as perpetuate it. XIII was rigged up in such a fashion that if a sensor was stimulated with enough force, it would remain active, continuously stimulating the nerve endings in its range and giving off the sensation of pain. This would bypass XIII's healing factor, making her -in theory- just as vulnerable as a normal human being.

From an observation booth, Rosch and a small detachment of his team looked down into an open, arena like space, a chamber of perhaps forty feet by forty feet with wall to wall steel panels. Fingers flew across keyboards and monitors flashed, commands and status reports went back and forth between the lot of them.

Lightning was on duty, having positioned herself near the door, arms crossed and face unreadable. And XII was here, his massive, muscled form propped against the wall near the observation window. He was curious, she'd heard him say it when one of the technician's gave him a funny look, and the explanation had been a low growl. It left Lightning wondering just what exactly he was. L'Cie, yes, but it couldn't have been just that. It couldn't be that simple. You didn't mutate a presence like his.

"Put the wranglers on standby." Rosch told his assistant who nodded, before straightening and turning. "Commander? Why not come over and have a look. Maybe watching XIII in action will give you some insight."

Lightning flinched, though the gesture went unnoticed. At least she hoped it did. And while she motioned with ease away from the wall, she felt it to have been more like ripping velcro apart, with all the noise to go with it. But it was quiet, hardly anyone noticing she moved at all less they were looking at her. Caius noticed, his pricked ears twitching, though he didn't react.

"So what's going on here exactly?"

"Just a stress test."

"You need all this just for that?" Lightning lifted one rosy eyebrow in his direction.

"We wanted to simulate actual field conditions as much as possible without having to leave the compound. It's almost ten below out there. So, yes, space is imperative."

Without a noticeable response, Lightning turned her attention away from him, and down into the expanse below her. Her eyes settled on XIII, kneeling in the floor, seemingly motionless as two wranglers stood on either side. They held man-catcher like harnesses about her neck, keeping her compliant. She heard Rosch speak, but didn't catch the sentence clearly, and her curiosity piqued at the wranglers suddenly taking leave.

"Send in the first wave."

A wall slid upward, opening into a pitch black space. Out of it leaped a Ugallu, a very large one, and its sizable pack of seven more came stalking out after it. Barking, snarling, hungry. XIII was still.

"When were they last fed?" Rosch asked his assistant.

"I think a week ago. Something like that."

Lightning felt a tightening tremor go up her back. This was going to get ugly. And fast.

The Ugallu wasted no time, forming a semi-circle and closing in towards the only other living thing in the room. Still XIII didn't react. The mutant dogs barked, snapped and snarled, pausing only momentarily before descending on their prey. They fell on the L'Cie in a teeming pile.

Everyone in the observation booth tensed, nobody breathed.

Three seconds passed before XIII would respond. Three seconds before the Ugallu Alpha's neck exploded with blood. Its paws thrashed, the animal yelping once as it was pushed back, pound for pound, all six adamantium claws stuck into it.

A technician gasped. "Fuck me."

"How much did that brute weigh?" Rosch pondered.

"Almost nine-hundred pounds. It was the biggest one we could find."

"And XIII just pushed it back." his tone was one of stricken awe. "How's the receptor graph?"

"All lit up."

"And she just keeps going. Etro's grace..."

Lightning watched, jaw tight, as the L'Cie in the room below ripped the wild animals to shreds. No hesitation, no mercy, every movement coming fluid as if second nature. But she could see the pain. The heavy lines around the eyes, the tightness of them, hidden in the shadow of a savage brow spattered with blood, it was there, and there was a lot of it. How XIII was still standing she simply couldn't fathom. Lightning couldn't hear it, but XIII was screaming, howling in fury and agony as her claws sliced the air in search of flesh. Lightning didn't even need to be aware of the sensors under the L'Cie's skin, the little nodes forcing the nerves to fire ceaselessly, to know the torment she was feeling.

It was almost too much to look at.

"What do you see?"

Lightning felt her body tense, slightly jumping, her head jerking to see XII standing in her shadow. Though she could only see the middle of his chest, as Caius stood easily two heads taller than her. "You always sneak up on people like that?"

"Not typically."

"It'll get you shot."

And he only chuckled. "Still...humor me. What do you see?"

"A sorry son of a bitch that needs to be put out of its misery...the dog too."

"Hmm, true enough. But what else? I can tell more is going through your mind."

Lightning found herself fretting a little. Was he telepathic too and no one knew it? That could land her in a steaming pile, sure enough. "What do you care?"

"Humans are...peculiar when they're confronted with something they don't fully understand. I'm just curious."

Lightning crossed her arms once again after a moment, her body tightening, hiding any body language that might belie something unintended. "Honest truth? I see a lot of hate. A lot of pain...rage."

"Indeed." Caius nodded once and then crept away from her, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

When her focus was no longer on him, her eyes slid back to look through the observation window. All of the Ugallu were dead now, in pieces or shreds. XIII crouched among the mounds of blood and bones, features still hard twisted and wild.

"Amazing." Rosch breathed. "Vitals?"

"Blood pressure is low but stable. She lost a lot of it."

"I'd imagine so. Is the next wave ready?"

"By your order, sir."

Gods, there was more?

Oh yes, much more. There were many trials yet to come for weapon XIII, starting with a very angry male behemoth in heat. In the end, after nearly two dozen total assailants, XIII was still standing. Albeit somewhat pitifully. Covered in blood from head to toe, claws dripping, body shaking with fatigue, but still she remained on her feet, willing to take as much as they would throw at her. Hell or high water.

"Is the next wave ready?"

"No."

"Well why not?" Rosch's tone became snippy.

"There are no more, sir. You're looking at what's left of our entire inventory."

His eyes got big. He had no reply at first. "Vitals?"

"Blood pressure is bottoming now, but her heart rate is still high. She's gonna hit the floor. You wanna call it a night?"

"I think it best. Switch off the receptors and call the wranglers in."

"You got it."

Lightning felt a shiver go up her back. To think such a..._mess_ could've been made by one person. She couldn't look away from it, and her heart flinched as she heard the click of the power switch for the receptors, and then XIII collapsed, the claws retreating slowly. She was more than done, exhausted, and the only thing keeping her up, keeping her moving, was pain. Gods. What were they doing? And how could she stomach just letting it happen?

It was about time for another coffee break.

She left the booth and focused on the sound of her own boots walking down the corridor. She never noticed the other set of feet walking along her own.

"What did you think, commander? You learn anything?" and Rosch laughed.

"Plenty." was her curt response, emotionless, though firm.

"XIII is really something,"

"You could say that."

"Is something wrong?"

"Got a lot on my mind right now."

"I understand."

_No, you don't._

"So will you be leaving tonight for your weekend?"

"Tomorrow morning." she checked her mental calender briefly, remembering it was still Thursday.

"I see. Well, I had a sample of the new tranquilizer formula sent to your quarters, thought you would want a look at them, see if they were up to your standards."

"Appreciate it. Have you tested them yet?"

"I thought you would enjoy doing that yourself. We'll be moving XIII to another sector of the compound later this evening. Prime opportunity to give it a shot, so to speak. Not to mention that I would like to, upon your approval, outfit the men with it before you leave."

"Fine with me."

"You'll be paged when the time comes about."

And Lightning nodded, taking the next bend in the passage just to get away from him. She suddenly felt like her skin was being rubbed the wrong way. Felt the need to disappear, which she wouldn't feel like she truly had until she reached the seclusion of her quarters.

The bedside lamp came on, bathing the small room in a dull amber glow. First she systematically unhitched all of her weapon holsters, setting them on the bed beside each other. It was just the two, but it felt like fifty when you were tired like this. Then she pushed off her boots, tucking them beneath the bed, all the while beginning to unbutton the heavy fatigue top. _Flop_ was the sound it made hitting the bed, the creaseless blanket fluttering down to the hospital tucked corners.

She looked to her desk, spying what had to have been the samples sitting out in plain sight, in a container that looked almost identical to a cigarette box. Her feet felt heavy still as she went to her desk, rolling the chair back that she might have a seat, and then scooting forward. There was a smaller lamp next to the desktop computer, and she switched it on in a habitual movement, the other hand taking hold of the small container. Lifting the lid she would find a single glass tube full of the stuff, comfortably nestled in the padding of soft foam. She picked it up, held it to the light, and found the consistency of it to be of some concern. It was thick, like syrup. How this would pass through a dart syringe was anyone's guess. Then again, the company chemists had to know what they were doing. At least she hoped so. She rolled it in her fingers, finding a label stuck to the side of it, written up like a table of contents on a soda can. Lightning recognized some _parts_ of the terms; morphine being the most prominent one. _Dihydrodesoxymorphine_ was a mouthful, unfamiliar, and whoever wrote it was kind enough to give a nickname. Desomorphine. And Vecuronium. With words like these she needed to consult the ever-knowing entity that was the internet to fully understand what all this actually meant.

When in doubt, Moogle it.

And what she found made her feel a duality of guilt and comfort. Comfort at knowing her team would indeed be much safer, and guilt at having to pump that poor thing full of this shit. And in a concentration like this, any normal person could OD on just one dose, or go into cardiac arrest. Although, with XIII's metabolism like it was, it might make the L'Cie dizzy after a few seconds. Lightning found herself hoping it did a hell of a lot more than that, and quickly.

The head of security started to dwell on the living weapon, more so than she thought she should.

_Maybe I shouldn't have taken this job. Maybe I should just quit now and call it a day._

Then she shook her head, quiet, contemplative. No. She had to do it. There was no other choice. It was her only chance to-

Her pager began to buzz, her head tucking against her chest to look down and see the number flashing on the small screen of the device hooked to her belt. It was Rosch's office number. What the hell did he want now?

There was a closed circuit phone on the desk that she reached for with a slight huff, hitting the number combination for the doctor's extension. It buzzed twice before she heard an inquisitive "hello?" come over the line.

"You rang?"

"I buzzed, actually."

Lightning frowned. "What did you want?"

"I'm sorry, commander, bad time?" a little chuckle.

"No. Just a bad joke. What did you need?"

"Well, I know I said we wouldn't be moving XIII until later, but,"

"It needs to be done now."

"More or less."

"Is there a problem?"

"A little one. Though it doesn't stand to stay little. I'm going to assume you've had a chance to look at the sample?"

"I have. We'll just have to see how it works before I give my verdict."

"I would imagine so. I have a few prototype rounds for your compression pistol with me. Care to meet me in C-Block?"

"Give me five minutes."

"Very well." and then there was a click.

Lightning took just enough time to slip her boots and holsters back on, tucking in the laces, as well and smack her forehead to the top of the desk once. Just a little venting. Never hurt anyone.

Unless, of course, the one venting was XIII, and that appeared to be the case when Lightning arrived at the designated area and met up with her superior. Lightning could hear thumping, the whine of steel on steel, and horrible growling noises even from the corridor.

"So what's this little problem?"

Rosch had a clipboard in one hand and lifted his eyes away from it at the sound of her inquiry. "Well, turns out my suspicion, as usual, was correct."

"What suspicion?"

But before he answered, he reached into his pocket, presenting her with a magazine for her pistol. "Here."

She took it with a quiet nod of thanks and replaced the near empty magazine with the new one.

"Remember my mentioning our fault in XIII's little tantrums?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, I was right. During a preliminary scan of the results of the bonding process, we thought we found what looked to be raised deposits of adamantium from the injectors. We took another one to be sure, and lo and behold, there they were."

"Basically speaking?"

"XIII feels like her skeleton is made out of barbed wire."

"I'd imagine that would piss off anybody." it made her think back to a time when she'd kicked a man in the business so hard it only made him mad. Got a broken nose for that one.

"To be sure, and the only way she can really express that is through fits of rage. Which, as you can plainly hear, she is having right now. The adrenaline flushed all of the thorazine out of her system."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Another session of radiation therapy should rectify it, soften the metal enough to where the deposits will resolve on their own. So we'll have to move her to D-Block, nearer the reactor. Just need you to make her more agreeable to the idea. If you would be so kind."

"Understood." another nod, and then she chambered a round.

The commotion suddenly stopped. In fact, everyone in the corridor went still, including the two wranglers and one other security officer.

"You don't...did she hear that?" Rosch seemed to ask himself after a long, tense moment.

"I thought you did your homework, sir." Lightning grimaced. She didn't like where this was going. It was one thing to try and take a crazed monster by surprise, but this was a whole new game. It was expecting them.

"Thought I did too."

"What do we do?" asked one the wranglers, sounding very wary.

"Continue as ordered." was Rosch's only answer.

"Fuck me." it was a reluctant shrug. The two wranglers tucked behind the other security officer, the young man appearing flawlessly confident that his reinforced plexi-glass riot shield would be sufficient protection against the horror on the other side of the door.

Lightning didn't like these circumstances. They were total shit from where she was looking, but there was no other option. She stepped in between them, between the wranglers and behind the shield-bearer. She had the pistol at the ready.

"Open it."

"Y-yes, ma'am."

They expected all hell to come tearing its way out of the darkness behind the cell door, but found nothing, just a gut wrenching stillness. No sound, no evidence of life within save for the roughened edges of claw marks around the opening. Rosch had ducked out of sight completely.

Lightning silently encouraged the young man forward, a hard nudge to the shoulder, and he took three steps. Then he was dead.

XIII seemed to have come down from the ceiling, at least that's how it appeared, and dropped from above, claws out and cutting downward. The L'Cie crashed onto him, the adamantium blades sinking into his neck, crossing, just enough to sever the spinal cord and snuff him out. He hit the floor like a sack of stones. No resistance, no sound.

Lightning felt the jerk of someone's hand on her arm, a wrangler pulling her back just as she raised the pistol to level on the L'Cie. She lost balance, falling, crashing into the wall behind her. Barely phased, she leveled the sights again, tracking XIII as she began to tussle with the wranglers that tried to get their man-catchers around her neck.

_Hold still...just one second...gimme one second..._

She pulled the trigger. The dart missed, ricocheting off a wall.

XIII had ducked at the last possible second, bending low to take a wrangler's leg clean off at the knee. The man hit the floor, writhing and screaming, blood gushing madly from the wound as he clutched at it. The other wrangler took advantage of a split second pause in the L'Cie's movements, lunging forward and closing the man-catcher around her neck. It did him little good. Claws reduced the tool to pieces and brought XIII's primal wrath onto his head. Literally. His face was split three ways and he was slow to expire, sputtering and choking on his own blood.

Lightning had managed to blink as all this happened, hardly two seconds elapsing, and then she blinked again, opening her eyes to meet savage emeralds only inches away from her. A set of claws embedded, screeching into the wall, and she felt the sting of a paper thin cut on her cheek. She found herself unable to move as she felt XIII's heated breath on her face. Her body froze, finger on the trigger but unable to flex enough to pull it. She wasn't sure if she was still breathing. Her wide eyes fell on the other set of claws, watched how they shimmered in the halogen shine, rising, poised to kill.

The corridor rang, almost shook, with a deep bellowing sort of sound. The walls vibrated with it. And a split second after it ebbed, XIII was ripped away from the commander, tossed down the passage by a heavy blow. Lightning blinked again, her senses working once more, and she looked up to see Caius, to see that she was in his heavy shadow. Then she looked down the corridor, to where XIII had settled on her hands and knees. The L'Cie stood partially, still hunching, and noticed a gash in her shoulder, a fresh wound that was already starting to knit itself back together. But that only seemed to renew her fury, as her face twisted that much harder into a snarl that heralded a wild cry.

Caius had done her harm, and now she would repay the favor. It didn't matter that he was so much bigger. She came at him all the same, and he would meet her in the middle.

XII had a set of his own claws, natural talons that could retract like a cat's. And they were sharp, battle hardened, and ready as XIII came at him. And he earned his call sign honestly, Tusk, as his canines could change in length and size, becoming larger, almost like a saber-toothed lion. He could sound like one too.

Caius jumped to one side, bouncing off the wall of the corridor in a feint to take XIII off guard. It only partially worked, as XIII was very quick to react even in her feral state. Her claws sank into his belly and she stood against his weight, but he didn't flinch. A pained snarl erupted from him, but he still took a strong hold of XIII in retaliation. She squirmed out of his arms, blood slickened, and renewed her attack, thrusting upwards into his chest. She forced him against the wall, screaming in a sort of triumphant fury. XII retaliated with a hard swipe to her face, _THWACK_, and XIII reeled. He took her forearms in his massive hands, holding her still though she tried to back away.

Lightning took what she thought was her only chance. That one second she had been praying for, and fired the pistol again. Direct hit.

XIII jerked as the dart sank into her hip, and that's when Caius gave the L'Cie a hard shove. It put her into the adjacent wall with a hard _POW_, her head bouncing off of it. She slid to the the floor, naked skin squeaking slightly. Panting, she sat still for a moment, then jerked trying to stand again. Something wasn't right, muscles had refused to work for some reason. She couldn't lift her arms but was clearly attempting to. A snarl of frustration, a third effort to stand without purchase, and then a unintended slump forward. The tranq was taking effect, and it had been perhaps a minute. If even that.

Lightning found herself able to breathe again as the L'Cie flattened against the floor, only mildly struggling now. She knew XIII would still be fighting if she could, and that realization kept her wary. Her still widened eyes rose to Caius, watching him walk almost casually towards her, his hand over the bloody holes in his belly. She managed to stand, steady though parts of her still shook.

"Thank you." she said as he drew close enough.

"Don't." he grunted.

Lightning said nothing, not entirely certain what she would say if she had. She just shook her head, letting him go by without further attention. There were more important things to focus on, like the man on the floor bleeding out. She went to him, not caring to get personal enough to tear the belt from his fatigues to cinch around the still weeping wound. The wrangler was delirious by now from the loss of blood, but had enough mind to mutter "tank ya" as she knelt beside him.

"I'd say that went well."

Lightning snapped her head to the side, seeing Rosch's ugly khaki slacks and brown loafers. "The hell did you disappear to?"

"I called for Caius. Also a medic team is on its way."

Lightning felt her jaw tightening as she stood up, her fingers rubbing together against the stick of blood. "You've got to stop underestimating this thing, Rosch."

"Noted."

"I'm not kidding. You're going to need more men than this, and if you think that number is enough, you'd better double it." And she couldn't deny the fact that, even if for a second, XIII had been _hunting_ them.

"Also noted. So what do you think of the new formula?"

Anger spiked, did this man just not understand how serious the situation was? "It'll do."

"Wonderful, I'll start production on ammunition for the entire detail. Should be fully armed by the time you get back from your weekend."

"Which I'm thinking on going ahead and leaving tonight. I need to get away from this for a while." and she grumbled to herself, too quiet for him to hear. "Are more officers coming to help move it?"

"Yes, about a dozen. Should that suffice, or would you like more?" and he smirked, she could hear it in his voice.

"A dozen should be enough."

"Very well. Good night, commander."

And she shot him the bird once his back was turned.

Now somewhat alone, Lightning took a deep breath, cleansing, calming, convinced the danger had passed for the time being. Then her attention slowly, almost reluctantly, drifted to XIII. She hadn't moved, though Lightning could see her body heaving with quick breaths, could hear them. Her boots rolled quietly through the blood, leaving tracks on the unsullied metal panels as she approached the prostrate L'Cie.

Once again cerulean met emerald as XIII's eye rolled in the socket behind half-parted lids, and settled on the hume that stood over her. And unlike before, Lightning could see something. She could see the person XIII had once been, could see the pain of a tortured soul in the verdant depths. It was a look that wept _don't hurt me anymore. I'm begging you. I'll be good._

Lightning could feel it, her heart clenching hard. It showed on her face, her features darkening with genuine regret. She wanted so terribly just to say "sorry", but wasn't sure if XIII would even register the gesture.

Once everything was cleaned up, locked down, Lightning retreated back to her quarters, tossing an empty duffel bag on the bed and beginning to hurriedly shove a weekend's worth of necessities into it. Her features were tight with irritation as she dressed to leave, putting on a heavy coat as the temperatures were supposed to be horribly low tonight. The wind chill was in the negatives. Nothing could stop her as she made her way to the compound garage, flashing her ID at the guard station without the attendant even having to ask. She was promptly allowed through the checkpoint, the tires of the company SUV squealing a little as she pulled out onto the snowy road that was marked by a series of yellow reflectors. Otherwise you couldn't see it.

It would be a five hour drive to her destination. Just long enough to convince herself that she was still doing the right thing.

Author's Note: To be entirely honest, I have no idea where this is going to go plot wise. I only have a beginning, and an end, with very little detail in between. So please bare with me, and if the fic starts to suck, I'm apologize. I'm mostly doing this for fun, since it won't let me sleep at night. Might as well get it down. Hope you enjoy it all the same. And thanks for all the support. Be sure to check out my DA for news and illustrations! Also, if anyone might like to draw that scene with Fang and Light face to face a paragraph or so back, I'd love you forever. (I am a self serving ego stroker.)


	3. Chapter 2

**XIII**

**Chapter Two**

Five hours was a long time to drive alone, but it didn't seem so bad when your mind was torn between the road and your conscience. Though, I'll admit, she still had to stop for coffee halfway through. Nobody's perfect.

She would be the only one in the convenience store other than the cashier, and she perused the sizes of cups for but a moment before going for the largest one. She was going to need it, still having more than two hours of snow to focus through. Black, that's how she took it, always took it. For a brief moment she stared into the liquid darkness, maybe expecting it to stare back. Something odd like that. Though she found herself dwelling on her reflection. Thinking. Scumbag.

Lightning paid for the coffee and the gas and went on her way, just settling into the driver's seat with the belt across her chest when she heard her cellphone buzzing in the other cup holder. She typically kept it off when she was at the compound, not wanting any calls to be traced, but once she was off company property she turned it back on. Though she couldn't quite remember doing it.

"Hello? Yeah...I'm on my way there right now. Got a few hours yet to go...uh-huh...uh-huh...all of you are here? Was that really...I understand. So you want to meet up? Okay...yeah, I'll see you then." and then she hung up, taking a deep breath and letting it out as she put the car in gear and started on the road again. Her heart had quickened, nerves straining.

_This is right._ She told herself, repeating it mentally. _This is right. This is what you wanted._

And she would come back to the mantra off and on throughout the remainder off the trip, finding it over the rolling of the chains on the tires, the roar of the engine and droll of the radio. So in thought, she barely caught the sign saying "Welcome to Bodhum" on the side of the highway. Another deep breath, and she felt somewhat safer, a little more relaxed. She was home.

It was around six in the morning when the SUV lurched into the driveway, lights blinking out and the engine cutting off. Lightning didn't bother with her bag for the time being, content to leave it in the back seat as she hurried to the front door, key in hand. It was so damn cold, her hand shaking as she shoved the key into the deadbolt. She pushed through, into the dimness of the early morning that any house in the suburbs would have swaddling its insides. No one would be up and about right now. Quietly she toed her boots off, hung her jacket on a hook by the door, and crept into the den. She slumped on the sofa, pulling a quilt across her body, and almost immediately nodded off. She had been up for more than twenty hours. And while it had been little more than patrolling long corridors and minding guard stations, never mind coming a breath away from dying, it was enough to make her weary.

But her sleep would be an uneasy one. Light, wakeful, restless, dreams flickering with pitiful green eyes.

She would wake more fatigued than when she lay down, the quilt twisted tight about her waist from all the tossing and turning. Arms over her head, the legs of her fatigues bunched around her knees, she blinked out of sleep with a look a mild confusion. There was a clock on the mantle. She'd only been sleeping for three hours, the little hand almost on the ten. It felt like a few minutes at most. She made a frustrated huff, her head dropping back to the sofa cushion. There would be no getting back to sleep. Not that she didn't try. It was with another huff that she accepted her circumstances and stood up, stretching.

Something stirred in the kitchen, the sound of porcelain knocking together alerting Lightning to the movement. With heavy steps she ascended out of the den, across the dining room, and into the kitchen where the linoleum was cast in a pale white glow from the single light suspended in the ceiling.

"I thought that was you."

The younger Farron stood there in her pajamas, her back to her elder sibling, and was angling a gallon of milk upended to pour into a bowl of cereal. She had a pair of clunky looking headphones hanging about her neck, the cord stuffed in one pocket, and what looked to be the cylindrical can of an energy drink in the other. Her champagne hair was gathered into a ponytail, a messy one, belying that she had been up for a long while.

"When did you get in?" Serah asked as she slipped back to the fridge, her larger than life moogle slippers bouncing with pompoms wobbling as she walked.

"Early." Lightning stifled a yawn, scratching her head. "How long have you been up?"

"A while. Had a class this morning."

Lightning only nodded, having to remember. Serah taught software design classes via webcam, in spite of her apparently young age, among many other things. Designer, teacher, and to a chosen few who knew, game demon.

"Since yesterday?"

"Yeah." Serah replied without hesitation. "Had a semi-finals event last night."

"And?"

"I'm in the running for about five-grand." Serah finally turned to face her sister, propping against the edge of the counter and shoving a spoonful of some sickeningly sweet, sugar infested whatthefuck into her mouth.

Lightning could see the fatigue in Serah's eyes. She'd been up a lot longer than she was letting on. "Did you make anyone cry this time?"

"Two, actually." and she smirked. "You'd have been proud."

Lightning chuckled softly.

"You look like crap, by the way."

"I feel like crap. Care if I make some coffee?"

"You're house too." she responded with a slight waggle of her shoulders.

Lightning nodded quietly in gratitude, starting to move about to fetch what she needed to start a pot. Silence stretched between them for a time, having no real need to speak at the moment as they unconsciously reacquainted themselves with each other's presence. Lightning propped herself up on the counter with her hands, watching as the coffee maker started doing its duty. Blackened brew started to fill the glass container and already she could smell it. One deep breath and she could already feel her tension easing. Albeit a little.

"Did Snow call you? He said he was going to." there was a slight pause to Serah's question, a gentle wariness.

"Yeah."

"And?"

"You mean he hasn't talked to you?"

"It's not that," Serah swallowed. "Just want some verification is all."

Lightning nodded, still watching the coffee pot. "The whole team is here. He wants to meet up later."

"Thought so. He might be bringing everyone over here tonight, seeing as mom's out of town and everything."

Again the eldest Farron nodded. She recalled her mother mentioning going on a short vacation with her current boyfriend. Rachel Farron was a widow, surviving her late husband Jack who passed some five years ago from heart disease. It ran in his family, so it wasn't much of a surprise.

"Hm."

"Don't sound so excited." Serah laughed a little.

"Should I be?" Lightning's eyes cut to her, severe, and Serah shrank slightly. "You'll have to forgive me if the idea of a horde of L'Cie in my house bothers me a little."

"Come on, Light, they're friends."

"Hardly." she didn't know most of them well enough to even call them acquaintances. Realizing the harshness of her reaction, Lightning took a deep breath, eyes closing. "I'm just...I'm ready for this to be over. I'm tired."

"It's okay, I understand."

_No you don't. Nobody understands. You haven't seen what I've seen. What I've heard..._ Another shrug.

"You're doing the right thing, Light."

"That's what I keep telling myself."

Sympathy lengthened Serah's features as she watched the anguish play across her sister's face. She was dealing with so much.

"Listen. Go get a hot shower, get in your pajamas, and by then the coffee will be ready. After that we can just loaf about the house and watch TV. You'll be able to relax better."

Lightning initially wanted to protest, thinking that she didn't need all that. But then, after a moment, it didn't sound like such a bad idea. "Yeah...you're right." No sense in fighting it. She stalked from the kitchen, head hanging and shoulders looking heavy, disappearing into the den and into an adjacent hall, to the first door on the right.

The guest room was stocked with some of Lightning's clothing, since she did tend to come home every so often. Just a few outfits, sleepwear, things of the like. She fished through the darkened closet for but a moment, knowing where she could find a pair of sweatpants and flannel shirt. That, coupled with a towel, were all she needed before adjourning to the bathroom. It wasn't long at all before the plumbing squealed to life and steam started to accumulate among the peach colored tiles, fogging up the chrome fixtures and the mirror.

Even with the water this hot and heavy on her skin, Lightning found herself unable to get clean enough. There seemed to be a thin film of disgust all over her, something she simply couldn't scrub away. A crawling sensation from head to toe that made her want to puke. In the end, though it still lingered, she accepted it, sticking her head under the scalding spray and swallowed it down the best she could. She covered her face and released a stifled sob, and then it passed. Though she couldn't help but linger just a moment to contemplate her revolting appearance in the misty mirror. Lightning emerged in her lounge clothes and a towel erected in that palatial fashion that only women ever seem to manage properly. Then she moved to the kitchen, made her coffee, and then slumped onto the sofa where she started, Serah sitting cross legged in the recliner nearby.

Immediately Lightning cringed as the noise from the currently selected channel registered in her ears. A press conference on the up coming "L'Cie Registration Act" proposals.

"Anything but the news." she grumbled.

"Fair enough." and Serah raised the remote and hit a button, doing just that.

From there Lightning only listened, her eyes closed as she sipped her coffee and draped the quilt across her legs. She was already starting to feel better, though just physically, but that would be sufficient enough to get her back to sleep within the following hour. Serah would happen to look over in the middle of an episode of some nonsensical sitcom to find her mug still in her hands and resting atop her stomach, her head against the back of the sofa, and dead to the world. When it cut to commercial Serah stood, carefully taking the empty mug from her sister's hands and pulled the blanket a little higher. She knew Lightning needed the sleep.

Lightning would roll over once during the next five hours, twisting onto her stomach, the towel unfurling to the floor. Serah would pick it up, leaving her sibling none the wiser. She wouldn't wake until she heard voices, the front door closing, but even then she had trouble rousing herself from the couch. She stayed still, fighting to get awareness back, her face pressed into a throw pillow and her arms out in front over the arm.

Serah would take a picture of her "superman" pose on her cell phone just before Lightning forced her head up.

"Who's here?" came Lightning's sluggish inquiry as her palm pushed over her face and then the top of her head, through her hair.

"The horde. I called out for pizza, everybody wants to eat before talking shop."

Lightning only nodded with a grumble, registering the commotion coming from the kitchen. She mentally began to prep herself. It was going to be a long, trying evening. She stood and quickly pushed her boots back on, going outside without a jacket, just needing to fetch her duffel from the car. She came back in quickly, with a slight shiver, some snowflakes following in tow. It was only a momentary disappearing act that took her to the guest room to toss the bag on the bed, and then she returned to the den. Somehow that made her feel better, having all of her shit in one place, within easy access. Call it minor OCD.

She paused in the entryway for moment, slightly surprised to see someone sitting in the middle of the den floor, legs crossed with a remote in their hand. A young boy, maybe sixteen or so, with wild blonde hair that seemed to always reach upward, absolutely everywhere, and bronze tinted goggles resting against his forehead. His clothes seemed to just barely fit him, almost too big. His shoes too. And then, as if he could sense her eyes on him, his head snapped to her and he smiled.

"Hi, Miss Lightning."

She took the awkward feeling in stride, her response coming in a subdued wave of her hand as she passed through to room towards the kitchen. All of them really were here. Gods. And sure enough she would find the rest of them upon her reaching her destination.

NORA was one of the few, blossoming Pro-L'Cie groups, and was only made of -as far as Lightning was aware- no more than ten members. She had met most of them, three women and five men, and those eight, including the young man in the other room, were here. At first they were simply referred to as "Serah's friends" that she had met through her boyfriend. Said boyfriend being someone Lightning had already not been too fond of in the beginning, and that only worsened when word came out of his being...one of _those people_. And all of his friends were as well.

Maqui had been the youngster in the den. His call sign was Download, and he was what some called a Technopath. He could communicate, on some level, as well as manipulate any machine.

And in the kitchen with Serah, were the other seven Lightning already knew.

Snow, the tall blonde squeeze of her little sister, was called Tank. Before he had worked for some time in construction, when a surprise quake cracked the foundation for a high-rise tumbled down on top of him and several other members of the crew. Only he survived the collapse, as his skin had changed on a molecular level to that of solid steel. Though he was presently wearing his normal skin, he could change that at the drop of a hat.

There was another man matching, if not exceeding Snow's size, and his name was Gadot. His bronze skin came as a major contrast to the other members, as well as his fiery hair that was arranged in a way that made Lightning constantly think of a cock's comb. When she was introduced Lightning thought that feature was what got him his call sign Razorback, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Gadot was a shape shifter, but she had yet to see what it was he turned into. Part of her didn't want to know, if his appearance was any indication. And his bottom eye teeth resembled tusks too closely for her comfort.

One of the women of the group had shoulder length raven hair done up in a loose half-bun, and her name was Lebreau. She was a thin seeming, yet stable looking woman of no more than perhaps twenty-five or more. The team called her Ragdoll for her ability to change her bone density to a degree that allowed her to bend to greater extremes than any side show contortionist. Lightning remembered how her stomach flipped when she made her toe touch her knee, bending the shin entirely on itself.

Another member that always made Lightning do a double take was Yuj, and it was mostly due to his ridiculous hair. Blue, peculiarly quaffed, just fucking odd, and with that being said, she found no surprise in his nickname. Freak, short for Frequency. Yuj could sense and even block certain types of energy, such as radio waves. On a personal note, Lightning was convinced he was gay, yet she had trouble deciding if it was for his seemingly snippy demeanor or his clothes. He tended to favor flouncy blouses and really tight pants as casual attire.

Hope Esthiem, a platinum-haired man of nearly twenty-four, was the only one out of the lot of them that Lightning could find some degree of comfort around. His L'Cie abilities were referred to as working empathy. Not only could he feel the pain and emotions of others, he could adjust their intensity to some degree. And he had been an early bloomer, coming into his powers sooner than most who typically showed them just after coming into puberty. Hope had tried his hand in the field of medicine, making it all the way to university before his powers were discovered and he was kicked out. But Lightning found herself able to relax in his presence. It was kind of reassuring knowing that someone knew exactly how you felt, literally. You didn't feel so alone. And that's why the team called him "Emoticon", even though he hated it and refused to use it in reference to himself. Also he liked button down shirts and ties, seeming to have a different combination for every day of the month.

And then there was Flashback, a young woman with brilliant green eyes, a bouncy demeanor, and bright red hair in pigtails. Her real name was Vanille, and she was a contact post-cognitive telekinetic. At the time, she could only move small objects with her mind, at times levitate a human being given perfect concentration, but aside from that she could touch an object and see where it had been, see its past as if she was there. Same thing with people. And while she was very pleasant, almost gratingly so, Lightning was wary about her, constantly watching her hands. Gods only knew what the young girl had seen since walking in the door. Thankfully she kept her hands in her pockets or folded together for the most part. And she usually wore gloves.

Serah had been pulled into NORA as well, much to her sister's chagrin. She was, by all intents and purposes, the team's coordinator. If they were out in the field for whatever purpose, she was their eyes and ears, their lifeline in some cases. And she had been doing it under her sister's and mother's noses for a while now. Nearly two years. And everybody was very fond of calling her Angel.

Each of them greeted Lightning in their own ways, with a wave, a nod, or a vocal expression. And all she could do was say "hey". She knew them, had been told she had nothing to worry about around them, but that didn't stop her. Still she worried. Felt like having a bomb under your butt and the clock just kept on ticking.

Though the awkwardness seemed to ebb a little once the pizza arrived, everyone suddenly too busy eating to be paranoid. When the food was gone, belches dispelled, and trash cleared away, everyone found a perch in the dinning room near the dinning table. Most sitting, some standing.

Lightning was sitting, hands laced together atop the dinning table, and she could feel the small multitude of eyes staring her down. She didn't like it, then again, she didn't have to. After all, she'd asked for their help to begin with.

"So...what news?" Snow managed from where he sat. He could see the tension in Lightning, saw it in her body language, how she carried herself. Her shoulders were slightly high, denoting a tightness in her.

Lightning took a breath. "Hard to know where to start. But...there hasn't been much change since I last spoke to you. By the looks of it...it's all just an experiment."

"For what?" Hope inquired. He was feeling it, though much more acutely than Snow. His skin buzzed with Lightning's ill-at-ease.

"They're...they've found out how to bond metal to bone. It's the damnedest thing." Lightning shook her head slowly, her tone somewhat breathless as her mind went back to the reactor, to the poor soul entombed within its walls.

"_What_?!" it was a unanimous question.

"Something called adamantium...I'd never heard of the stuff until now."

"I have." Maqui admitted. "I've been crawling through PSICOM's intelligence mainframe for a while now, down into their level five encryptions, and I picked up on that several times. It's some kind of rare metal they found at one of the Pulsian Poles."

"Rare or not, they found enough to do it. And they're planning on doing it again."

"Who?" Snow showed his interest in the knitting of his brow.

"Some guy named Caius."

"Caius Ballad?" Gadot's fiery eyebrow quirked.

"I don't know. Just some big guy, purple hair, has a kid attached to his hip."

"I've seen him before." Gadot nodded. "Back before I joined the team, he was homeless just like me. Had the kid then too."

"She's some kind of telepath. Still," Lightning took another deep breath, perhaps gathering her thoughts. "Caius volunteered for the procedure, but they wanted to test it first. See if it worked."

"Did it?"

Lighting only nodded, then raked her scalp once with hard fingertips.

"You saw it, didn't you?" Vanille asked gently. Hope was actually wondering the same thing, though he didn't have the notion to pry. He could feel it plain enough, like a weight on his shoulders.

Lightning could feel the eyes again, they were expecting an answer. "What...you want a look?"

Everyone seemed to shrink a little, a sharpness to the question.

"Only with your permission." Vanille responded.

Her cerulean eyes lifted, settling coldly on the redhead. "You're not going to like it."

But Vanille understood. Things like these...it wasn't about what you like or don't like. It's about what you have to do in spite of it. The girl stood up, her hands out of her pockets.

"You want some back up?" Hope offered. The two of them often worked in tandem, Hope's abilities able to somewhat control any emotions or sensations that rode piggy back on what Vanille would see.

"I've got it." she nodded with a smile. Vanille rounded the dinning table, coming to stand beside Lightning. "You're sure?"

"Yeah," though it sounded less like consent and more like surrender.

Sympathy darkened Vanille's soft features. "You ready?"

A nod.

"Just relax, just like before."

Relax. How in the hell do you relax when you're already thinking about what's got your head in a tizzy to start with? You don't, you just suck it up and take it as it comes, which is what Lightning prepared to do with a deep, cleansing breath. Then she felt dainty hands on her arm, her eyes closing as she felt the odd "touch" of a mental link forming.

_Walk me into it._

Lightning heard the voice in her head, like an echo in a cavern. So she forced her thoughts back, dug up the horrid memory of just a few nights ago, the red glow of the reactor, the murmur of doctors and technicians talking, the waxing and waning shadows on the walls and floors. It all coalesced, piece by piece, into something almost tangible.

_I can take it from here, just let it flow._

And she did, scrambling for the sensation of washing her hands of it. Though that never came. She was forced to watch it all too, powerless, unable to look away.

The others watched in silence, waiting with baited breath as if something big was about to happen. Like waiting for fireworks, or watching a train wreck. Vanille's eyes were open, and they moved about as if she were scanning the room they were in, though everyone knew she wasn't consciously there. She was elsewhere, in Lightning's memory, seeing what they couldn't see.

And by the gods, did she see.

She moved through each memory, metaphysically part of the events occurring over the last couple of days. Like a specter among specters, she moved about unseen, intangible, watching and taking in the details that Lightning could recall. She saw Caius, the young telepath, Rosch whom she remembered distantly from a news broadcast, and the weapon called XIII. She was still throughout the entire memory, fixed on her fellow L'Cie's suffering as the liquid hot metal claimed her skeleton throughout the throws of such sharp misery. She could hear the uncaring dialogue among the doctors, their language reducing XIII to a subhuman status, a fail safe to their profession that made things easier. It broke her heart.

And the sensation only seemed to escalate from there as the memories progressed, and were coupled with Lightning's personal thoughts, inner monologues that echoed with the likeness of a recording. Systematic mental notes given an indifferent, distant voice that failed to take away from the severity of what Vanille was seeing. Ugallu torn to shreds, the flash of claws and the stench of blood, horrible shrieks of pain, surmounting guilt, and finally those eyes that begged for some form of mercy, even if it was just a scrap, when they had only moments ago been wild with fury. That's when Vanille had to stop, and she disconnected with a hard flinch and a shake of her head.

Vanille put a hand over her mouth, her body tightening inward, her brow thickening over her eyes as they screwed shut. She was going to cry. Poor girl was terribly sensitive. Hope stood up, putting a hand on her to try and curb it, take the edge off, and she didn't refuse. A few tears fell, a small sob escaping, but that was the worst of it though Hope's eyes began to redden a little, and he sniffled.

"There's got to be a way we can pull the plug on this." Snow shook his head, speaking softly, his features darkening as they creased.

"I'm doing the best I can, but there are places in that compound that even _I_ can't get access to." Lightning was now laying against the back of the chair, her head tipped back, looking like she had a migraine.

"Maybe we should just storm the place." Gadot growled a little, his brow heavy over his eyes.

"Bad idea." Lightning countered. "I'll admit, I've seen bigger complexes than this, but the place is a maze. And while their security sucks, it doesn't take a genius to fire an assault rifle. Not all of you could block a bullet." and her eyes settled on Snow with a sort of accusative slant to them.

"Not to mention this Caius guy." Yuj recollected. "Especially if he's working with a telepath. Any idea just how strong she is?"

"On a scale of one to ten," Lightning recalled Rosch's explanation, "seven."

Yuj's brows vaulted. "Well shit, there goes the planet."

"I know we can come up with something!" Maqui sounded unusually confident. "What if I get into their power grid and shut it down?"

"Then you've basically locked them in and us out. Not to mention you'd probably send the reactor they've got down there into meltdown." Lightning made a face at the kid, silently calling him a retard. "It's just not that simple."

"Sure it is, we just need more intel."

Lightning's eyes cut to Snow, her shoulders tensing.

"Once we know better how the place is laid out, how they operate, we can come up with a plan."

"What if there isn't time for that?" Light paused a moment, starting again once she was certain she had his utmost attention. "Look...I don't know what their ultimate goal is with these...weapons...but it can't be good for anyone. I don't want them to get that far."

"Neither do we." Hope assured her. "But Snow's point is just as valid as yours. You're both right, it's just for the time being his reasoning is more feasible right now."

As true as that may be, she was under no obligation to like it. "So...what do we do then?" and her jaw was tight, you could hear it.

"Well, thinking about it, maybe Maqui's on to something." Snow scratched the stubble on his chin. "Although maybe not going so far as to get into the power grid. What about the surveillance network?" and his bright blue eyes shifted to the teen.

"That's it? That's nothing." he sniffed. "I could do that in my sleep."

"That settles it then. We just watch them for a little longer, just until we've got something solid."

Though Lightning felt as though they had made just as little progress as when they started this blasted pow-wow. She raked her scalp again, her head down, staying down as her hands curled over the back of her neck and rested there. Hope felt his stomach jerk a little, her tension and frustration coming over him abruptly, heavy. His first thought was to reach out, curb it for her, but knew she wouldn't approve. Lightning didn't care too much for him to sort of usurp her emotions like that.

Hope cleared his throat. "Maybe we should call it a day, I hear the weather is supposed to get worse in a couple of hours."

"We've got a bit of traveling to do, too." Gadot agreed with a gentle nod.

"The sooner I can get to work, the sooner I can get in that surveillance system." Maqui stood up from the table, nodding.

All of them started getting up, save for Lightning, who seemed more than content to remain completely still. The crowd worked its way out of the room, towards to front door fetching coats and hats, saying goodbyes and what not. Though Hope had lingered momentarily. He was standing beside the chair he was sitting in, his eyes sympathetically settling on Lightning.

"You okay?"

"Do I look okay?" it was a low growl, her reply.

"Can I do something?"

Lightning straightened, lines creasing around her eyes belying the stiffness in her back. "No. I need to feel this. It's just...been there for two weeks...had to keep myself shut down, especially when I found out about that girl. Didn't want her to catch on. Now that I'm home...it's hitting me all at once."

"I could help. Just take the edge off."

She shook her head again. "As much as I want you to...I need this. I need to remind myself that I give a damn."

"But it's wearing you down." he could sense it. No need to be L'Cie to see it. "We need you at your best."

"I just need to let it run its course. I can cope."

"But do you have to do it alone? Let me give you a couple of hours at least, let you sleep."

A third refusal. "I appreciate it, don't get me wrong. Just...I have to."

And he wouldn't attempt to convince her further. Her mind was set.

"Thanks all the same. You're one of the good ones, Esthiem."

He smiled. "Coming from you...that means a lot. I know you're not entirely...partial to us." he started moving to leave the room, pausing only momentarily at her side. "Just call me if you need someone to vent to, okay? Serah's got my number."

"Yeah. Thanks."

And then he went on, joining the others outside in the snow, climbing into a navy van that was already running. Lightning could hear it pulling out of the driveway and then rumble as it started down the street. Then everything went terribly still after the front door closed, Serah having come inside from seeing them off.

_Just a little longer._ She told herself, taking a deep breath as she folded her hands atop the table and rested her forehead on them. Just a little longer.

_(II)_

Days in the dark. Restless, sleepless.

Barely aware.

Writhing, snarling in pain, heard yet ignored.

Her metabolism fought the chemicals in her blood meant to keep the pain back, keep her sleeping. Keep the animal quiet. Floating. Powerless.

Yet still the L'Cie stirred with snapping jaws and claws always unsheathed within its nest of tubes and wires, emerald eyes flashing in the shadows on video monitors in another room where technicians watched, both fascinated and mortified. Every time the thing moved their hearts would shoot into their throats for fear of it breaking loose again. The only remedy for their terror was to hit the switch for the thorazine. Sometimes it would work, sometimes not. Sometimes it would just piss it off more, sending it into a fit of rage that made those jerk-offs in white coats shake as the echoes of primal roaring filled the sector.

No one would go near its cell, no one had the guts, doubly so without the head of security around. It was a compound-wide consensus that the woman had balls the size of this facility. Even with their new tranq darts, it was easier pulling teeth than convincing anyone to step within a foot of that door.

Unless, of course, Caius was nearby. You could see on his beastly features that he wasn't taking too kindly to having been corralled into being this runt's handler. Why a host of humes couldn't manage a caterwauling little girl was beyond him, and it disgusted him. Made him wonder how their species got off thinking of_ his kind _as _less than_. He found XIII to be little more than an inconvenience, a mess that needed to be cleaned up. Yeah, the bitch could scratch, scratch hard, but that was the long and the short of it. Otherwise, she just...was. He found a mote of sympathy for her. She didn't know what she was, what to be. But that wasn't his problem. Not his to worry about.

At least, under usual circumstances. He would have to shoulder the burden for just a while today, moving the runt to the operating room down the hall and then to the reactor. There were a few last minute adjustments the humes wanted to make before they tried to train it. Again he found himself puzzled; why didn't they just put the runt down and be done? The experiment was a success. Time to move on.

"It's not permanent, Caius, I assure you." Rosch had repeated the statement for the third time now since he had begun to walk beside the L'Cie from his office. "We're already looking for someone to take on the duty full time. Just give us a week or two."

"And if I don't want to?"

"Well...we can't exactly make you, can we?" Rosch wasn't stupid. PSICOM had plenty of dirt on Caius, more than plenty, but that didn't make them any less afraid of the threat XII could pose should they rub him wrong. "Couldn't you humor us at least?"

His reply came in the form of a grunt coupled with the raising of the corner of his lip, exposing a fang. "Very well. And what of your progress in collecting my payment?"

"Still slow. Small steps." Rosch couldn't meet Caius' gaze when he answered, denoting that the response was nothing short of a white lie.

This time he growled, undeniably displeased. "I am growing impatient."

"Noted. But we can't work any faster than we're able." Rosch shook his head, trying to hide the tension in him that bubbled up. "We're doing the best we can."

Another growl, lower, somewhat hidden, as Caius knew there was no point in arguing over it. Rosch was right. Best to just do his part and give the humes leave to do theirs.

For now.

As per the usual, XIII would not go easily, though there were decidedly less casualties. A wrangler pissed himself at the sound of the L'Cie's infuriated shriek, a security guard had his rifle cut to pieces, his chin split open and gushing blood from a paper-cut thin wound, and Caius would lose a chunk out of his arm, XIII biting him for keeps and tearing it away. All superficial in comparison, easy going, almost routine. Even Rosch seemed to be surprised, arms crossed and silvery brows reaching for his hairline.

From there the night went unusually smooth, everything going as planned. Almost made you think something horrible was about to happen, waiting for the other shoe to drop so to speak. Security was still antsy, watching as surgeons went to work with fingers on their rifles, waiting for that thing to explode into another fit and slice them all to ribbons.

Rosch decided he didn't approve of the blood loss due to XIII extending her claws, and got his team to work on devising a remedy. It took a day for someone to spawn the brilliant idea of adamantium terminals in the hands to keep the flesh apart as well as stabilize the lethal extensions when unsheathed. It took another day to build them. They worked diligently, quickly to stay ahead of the healing factor, flaying XIII's hands wide open, reflecting the skin from the palms, and pushing the terminals to fit between the metacarpal bones. A solid plate of the rare metal kept them in place, kept them aligned with the tips of the claws, and would act as the brace. The terminals were then pushed forward slightly, making making paper-thin slits just visible between the fingers. The skin was returned to its natural position and allowed to heal around the new additions. You wouldn't think anything had happened at all once the blood from the operation was wiped away. A slight reflex test, that is a small shock to the proper muscle group, proved the theory as fact as the claws extended, the chime of metal on metal ringing dull. Hardly any blood from the action to be seen; a small crimson smear near the tips and mild welling near the base was all. Success.

Now it was time to return XIII to the reactor, where it would spend the next forty-eight hours being subjected to regular cycles of radiation exposure. Thirty minutes of white hot, searing pain followed by thirty minutes of almost blissful quiet, a chance to dream in her chemical coma. Rinse and repeat as desired until the raised deposits on her skeleton had resolved.

Although, something no one accounted for, not even Rosch, were the _other_ side affects of the radiation. It was right there in plain sight for all of them to see, but it went over their heads. XIII's mutation had clearly reacted to it from the beginning in the form of an accelerated metabolism; the sores healing as quickly as they formed being the prime example. Somehow, perhaps stupefied by their own amazement, no one could connect the dots that a jacked-up metabolism also meant jacked-up immunity. Warranting a much quicker acquisition of a tolerance to the drugs they pumped through her to keep her quiet.

Stupid humes making a very, _very_ stupid mistake.

Then again, Caius hadn't made the connection either.

And _that_ is why, forty-eight hours later, the compound would be going up in flames.

Author's Note: This chapter felt a little touch and go for me, but that's just me as I have often been proven before. More of this is coming together as I go, doing more research as well, so that helps. Ordered another comic to kind of help me out with what's coming. Hope I'm doing you readers a good service, hope you're enjoying it so far. Thanks to everyone who is, you guys are the best. Also, Hope is older because I said so. You don't have to like it.


	4. Chapter 3

**XIII**

**Chapter Three**

Something didn't feel right.

Lightning could sense something...off as she started on her way down the five hour road back to the compound Sunday evening. Even as she gave her sister a hug and said goodbye. Like a chill up her back that wouldn't fully settle, an itch you couldn't really scratch. It made her tense, her shoulders hunched slightly as she drove down the still snowy roads out of Bodhum. And while she couldn't put her finger on it as to what, she couldn't keep it out of her mind for more than a moment. Her thoughts hooking right back around to that big, eight-hundred pound _I don't know_.

Like a whole life's worth of sin about to drop all hell and brimstone on your head.

Yeah, that sounded pretty good. She had a lot of that coming to her, a lot to feel guilty about. Still she drove with fine tuned precision forged through repetition, quiet, seemingly untroubled until after nightfall. That was when she reached the bottom of the mountainous pass that led up to the compound. She flashed her ID at the checkpoint and rolled through the gate, turning on the high beams as the road started upward. The snow was starting to fall again, heavy, fast, looking only to get worse. The pass would be totally blocked by morning at this rate. Oh goody.

She wouldn't notice an amber glow in the distance, not for the thick, shadowed kingdom of pines and firs that surrounded the road and grew heavy all over the mountain. It went entirely unnoticed, and if she had seen it from this distance, she would've thought it a campfire or something of the like. No worry. It wouldn't occur to her what was really going on until she was some hundred feet and closing to the garage gate. There was no attendant, and rightly so. He left tracks in the snow up a service path leading directly to the compound's main entrance. Surely he'd abandoned his post to help control the emergency.

The compound was burning. Flames reaching into the velvet night sky, bright as the stars, as the moon dangling over the mountain. The fingers of the devil himself.

Lightning ripped off the seat belt and scrambled into the back of the SUV, going through her duffel in the diffusing darkness. First she found her pistol, slinging it in the holster over her shoulder. Then she found her cellular, madly pounding out the number she needed and praying she had service up here.

Two buzzes and then a click.

_"Serah?"_

"Snow, it's Lightning."

_"How did you get this number?"_

"Two guesses. Listen, we've got a problem."

_"The compound?"_

"How did you,"

_"Download saw it, we're actually rallying the team right now. We should be there in a couple of hours."_

"Sure as hell hope you can get here faster than that."

_"Just do what you can, we'll contact you again when we're nearby."_

And she just hung up, no bye, no thanks, no fuck you and the joke book you rode in on. She shoved the phone in one of the several pockets of her fatigues and went on searching for the rest of her gear.

Primed and ready to go she jumped from the car, sprinting up the remainder of the paved road and up the service path towards the flames. She saw the gruesome scene that lay at the top of the hill and had to stop. Fire and bodies, blood everywhere. Good gods, what happened?

Good question.

Not thirty minutes ago the complex had been quiet, all's well, guards making their rounds, some folks even clocking out of their shifts and going to bed. Not a creature was stirring, not even...okay, that's not entirely true.

XIII had been stirring, though more so in mind than in body. Thoughts racing, fizzling nightmares, dreams of dying that made it thrash in the savage throws of pain and fear. Horrifying moments of waking and not understanding, not knowing which way was up, where that searing heat was coming from. Animalistic terrors fueled by instincts; this is not home, this is not safe, get away, _run_!

Run.

_Fight_.

_ESCAPE_.

Eyes snap open, greeted with the fuzzy red light of the active reactor below. Reaction is sudden, movements twisting, muscles tensing with the sharp stab of pain, claws reaching. Upright, weightless, fully aware as heated hurt crackles through her skin. Sores burst, seal, raise again, mind ablaze with agony. Growling, tensing, seeing the glass pane as a target. Slow movement, not fast enough, breathing hard, gotta make it stop. Slash. Slash again, cutting, stabbing, gotta break it down. Fight, fight, _fight_! Glass cracking, crystal spiderwebs springing leaks. Water jetting outward, breaking through, almost free. _Free_.

With the reactor still active the plexiglass pane keeping it full shattered under XIII's relentless assault, a great chunk of it collapsing outward and allowing the steaming water to come rushing out. The L'Cie tumbled through, cutting away the wires and cords still stuck in her flesh, ripping out the respirator to release a victorious and primal scream.

And that's when the guards came running, an alarm blaring through the entire complex. The guards came, and they would see what they had really made. That first big dose of radiation hadn't killed something, though many could've swore it had. No. It had brought something to life, more like brought it out of hiding. That animal we all have creeping about our insides, our minds, in the dark places no one but you can reach. They brought the animal in XIII out of its den, woke it up with a hard charge of pain and fury, and it was not pleased. They would see it in all its horror, all its indiscriminate vengeance as it stood upright, claws poised.

_Fight_.

Escape.

Don't stop.

Don't pause.

Don't let them put you back to sleep.

Run.

Run.

_RUN_!

The reactor started to burn itself out, no longer safely maintained by the water reservoir. It was going to melt down any minute. The staff and security began to panic, began to scurry like rats in a flood. Never mind the living weapon skulking about, tracking, searching, sniffing the air. XIII had to have just one, had to _hunt_ just one of them. Just one, and then perhaps the animal would be quiet.

Rosch was in his office when the alarm sounded, his body jerking as it yanked him out of his deep focus on his favorite book. He contemplated the grating sound for only a moment, perhaps wondering what had set it off. Everything had been going so smoothly tonight after all. Maybe it was just a system's glitch.

He took the phone within reach and dialed an extension, but no one picked up. He dialed another, still no answer. Three times, nothing. He put it down, puzzled, slightly annoyed as the sound continued, refusing to let him concentrate.

Then it came through the door.

Metal screeched against metal, gashes ripping through the door at the behest of savage claws. Rosch jerked again, this time in genuine fear, convinced he wasn't seeing what he was seeing as he pushed his wheeled chair against the wall. The door was torn from the hinges, and that's when he saw it. The animal he had made, standing on two legs, hunched, covered in blood, dripping with it from head to toe, and full of bullet holes. Still it walked, moved towards him, green eyes fixed solely on him, through him, with all the intent to pay back all of the horrors he visited on her. But she would be mercifully quick. Even as he screamed for help and even started to cry in fear. The crotch of his khakis darkened and hot piss splashed on his loafers as it ran down his legs. XIII approached, two steps before leaping onto his desk. She only pondered his miserable state for a moment, a breath, and then lunged at him. Three claws sank through the tender flesh behind his chin, going straight upward as she lifted him out of his chair with a snarl and put him against the wall. His feet kicked, thrashed mindlessly as adamantium split his gray matter three ways, his fingers gripping at the steel paneling of the wall, nails finding no purchase. Like a fish on a hook. And XIII watched him die, his blank, bloody face burning itself as a memory in the animal's mind. And not once did she blink. The animal wanted to see.

She only allowed him to drop to the floor when she picked up the scent of smoke. The reactor was about to go.

Run.

Run.

Don't Stop.

You're free now.

And anything breathing that stood in her way wouldn't stay breathing for very long.

Eventually it would cut its way through the walls, through the paneling and all the internal workings of the complex, shocked and jabbed by the devastated networking, only fueling the fury until it broke through to the frigged outside, bloodied bare feet sinking into snow. Deep breaths heaving, steam escaping from her mouth and nose, she looked about, green eyes cutting from side to side as she stalked through the growing shadows of the roaring flames. Exterior security caught sight of her, adamantium claws shimmering in the glow of flashlights. Their pointless demands for XIII to surrender, to stand down, were met with a toothy snarl and a messy death on their part.

The alarms from within the compound echoed into the night sky as the flames climbed higher. Then the sky split as the reactor finally blew its top. Even for its relatively small size, the column of flames that it spat up, the way the mountain shook with the blast...catastrophic. If it hadn't been for the dense tree population, an avalanche would've buried everything right then.

XIII turned just so, upper body twisting back, and watched the place burn. That is, until she caught the scent of gas fumes, and the shimmer of headlights. She could hear the roar of a vehicle's engine. Someone was running up the service path. Could smell them through the smoke.

It ducked away to the trees.

_They won't catch me. Never again_.

Lightning was able to catch a flicker in the corner of her eye, in the direction of the forest as she reached the head of the path. For a moment she could only stare into the flames, quietly horrified in its amber glow.

"Sweet Christ." she breathed, pulling her eyes from the towering inferno. She spotted the bodies, feeling herself swallow hard. They were all in pieces, shreds. Somewhere between the stench of carbon there was death, a foul stink of blood. Everywhere. She felt her pocket buzz again and scrambled to answer it.

_"Lightning? Are you all right?"_ it was Hope this time.

"Yeah. Can't say the same for my coworkers, though." she moved about as she spoke, looking for anyone or anything moving.

_"The surveillance network is down, what happened?"_

"The reactor just blew, whole thing is burning up."

_"Any survivors?"_

"Something just took off into the woods, otherwise...nothing so far."

There was a long pause. Then _"It was your L'Cie. Download just spotted her on the footage he recovered from the cameras. And be careful, he thinks Caius might be about too."_

"Thanks for the warning. I'm going after her. Get up with me as soon as you're able," Lightning looked warily to the woods, to the darkness it cradled. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."

After hanging up, Lightning changed her thought process. She couldn't bother with survivors, run the risk of coming across Caius. She needed to get moving and track XIII down. She would find an intact rifle and a full cartridge of tranq darts on a downed security officer, thinking it more than she needed as she took off into the shadows of the forest, following the bloody footprints in the snow.

_(–)_

Serah jackknifed out of bed, rushing to her desktop computer at a peculiar ringing coming from her phone. Peculiar, as it was far different from her usual ring tone, and only sounded in very peculiar situations. No one was calling for Serah; a certain someone needed Angel. Still wiping sleep from her eyes she hit a router switch on the modem, putting her PC on an entirely different network as it blinked to life. She popped her headphones over her ears, pulling the microphone down.

"Someone talk to me."

_"Angel, it's Freak."_

She felt a modicum of relief come over her. If it was Freak, she didn't need to worry about someone hijacking the signal. On the contrary, Freak was probably piggybacking on someone else's. "What's going on?"

_"We've got major movement at the PSICOM complex. Place is pretty much ashes by now."_

And the relief died, a lump forming I her throat. "What about Lightning?"

_"Emoticon just spoke with her, she's okay, just got there. The team's en route to meet her."_

"What can I do?"

_"We need a layout of the mountain range where the compound is located. All we know is its in the area of Aggra Village."_

"Give me ten seconds." and her fingers flew across the keyboard at a dizzying pace, fingers pressing like butterfly kisses on the keys. She Moogled Aggra's Village, finding a fine selection of maps of varying angles. Another search, now with four seconds, and then a quirk of her brow.

"Got something, a ping off of a cell tower. High tech, highly secure, but only five mile range. It's about five miles north of the village. You're going to want to search in that perimeter, look for unmarked roads." that last bit came out of her mouth as a sort of afterthought as she perused a road map of the area. Some of them headed towards the mountains, opposite the village, that disappeared entirely.

_"Copy that."_

"What's your ETA?"

_"Tank says we still have more than four hours to go."_

Angel rolled her eyes. "Can you at least get me in touch with Lightning?"

_"She's got a phone on her, yeah. I'll try and patch you through."_

A mess of static came over the headset, filled with the ghosts of radio waves and conversations from at least a thousand different phones. Then a click followed by a family of dial tones. No answer. In the end, she would get back to Frequency.

_"Emoticon said she was going after that L'Cie PSICOM had locked up in there. Probably not a good time. Can I do anything else?"_

"Just get there safe, weather isn't going to get any better as the night goes on by the looks of it."

_"You got it. We'll keep in touch."_ then the connection died.

Angel went back to work, getting deeper into the isolated network she was on, into NORA's operations mainframe.

NORA had satellites everywhere, just like any organization with money and curiosity in equal measure. A few in the upper atmosphere, you know, the usual fare, but some were lower lying, controllable by remote. Those were the ones she was looking for. She needed more eyes. First things first, she needed to locate the team on the road using the maps she had found online to help her. She would spot the navy van barreling bat-outta-hell down the interstate. She put in the proper pass codes, kept the satellite trained on them. It was habit for her, a way to keep her cool knowing they were always in sight.

Now for the tough job; tracking down her sister on that snowy mountain side. Angel got into another satellite, one closer to Aggra, and sent it on its way with a flurry of keystrokes. While it whizzed through the air some few hundred miles away, she went digging through its programming, looking for a certain function. Did this thing have infrared? Yahtzee. She put in the command, and the split video feed on her monitor began to flicker in the lower portion. Then it went blue, a sea of azure with small blips of green and red. Birds, small rodents, owls and rabbits maybe.

With the satellite she would scan miles of forest and mountain crags without a single wink belying anything moving about resembling a human being. Her brows climbed to her hairline when she found the great writhing yellow blob that was the burning PSICOM outpost. She was having trouble feeling sorry for them, only lingering on it for a moment before having the camera move along.

Then she spotted it, something darting between the trees, away from the incinerated compound. And it was being tailed several yards back, but gaining ground on it quickly. Though blurred, Angel could make out humanoid shapes, and could only assume that she had found what she was looking for. She only prayed Lightning was the one giving chase.

_(–)_

So. Fucking. Cold.

It was in her boots, she couldn't feel her toes, soaking through her fatigues, tightening her shoulders and chapping her lips as she ran, ducking between trees she could just barely see. The rifle was heavy on her back, knees hurting from stumbling in the dark through nearly knee-deep drifts of shocking cold. Lightning could just make out the tracks in the snow, just see the depressions of bare feet in a god awful hurry, and that's how she was able to follow. But it was difficult. Her lungs hurt from the cold air, and she was so stiff with the chilled wetness in her clothes. But she had to keep going, couldn't stop pushing, couldn't stop until this was done.

And she wouldn't stop, chasing this damned L'Cie for hours up and down these fucking mountains. Now the sun was starting to come up, and she still couldn't see anything but tracks and trees. Gods, so tired. But at least the snowfall that had been threatening to squall for hours, was letting up.

Somehow, someway, Lightning had followed the trail down into the valley, still concealed in trees. Fucking trees.

Just a minute, she told herself. Just to catch my breath.

Propped against a pine trunk she sank to one knee, carrying the rifle in her hands to get the weight off her back. Out of sheer habit she checked to see if it was loaded, pulling back the slide-bolt to see a dart in the chamber. She pushed it back into place, comfortable in her security for the moment. Damn it, her lungs were so sore, the puffs of white steam coming out with a wince.

She scanned the area slowly, mindful, listening, spotting the tracks. They looked to go further on, across the valley perhaps. Who knew XIII was this fast even after tearing that compound apart?

Her cellphone buzzed in her pocket. It only pissed her off a little, thinking the subtle sound could still give away her position.

"This better be good." and her tone was hushed, almost too quiet.

_"Lightning, it's Angel." _the signal was crackling, interference working its way in.

"What is it?"

_"I had a satellite fixed on your position and it just now went off-line. I think something took it out."_

Lightning swallowed. Oh shit.

_"The team's headed your way, should be there any minute."_

"I don't think I've got that long." and she hung up, suddenly very concerned of being so still.

Lightning started on the tracks again, the sun rising a little higher in the sky now and offering better visibility. But almost immediately, something seemed wrong. The tracks circled back, and along this path she found what remained of the camera drone Serah had mentioned. It was cut to pieces.

Damn it all.

She was no longer hunting this L'Cie.

Body tight like a poised bear trap, Light looked around, turning slowly, covering her bases on sight and sound. Everything was silent, still, like a tomb. XIII had to be here somewhere. Anywhere. She flipped the safety off, the butt of the rifle tight to her aching shoulder. And she waited.

Things don't get much worse than this.

Up there, among the pine needles and branches it waited, looking down on the hume that was aware yet unknowing of the threat against it. Savage emeralds fixed on the rosy top of her head. XIII knew her scent, recognized it just like she had Rosch's, but hers wasn't such a twisted stink as his. She could smell the fear, lightly mixed in with the sweat and wetness of mountain snow. She could hear the hume's heartbeat thrumming like a small bird, her breaths controlled but quick. She had been tracking her all this way, gun in hand. The animal wasn't going to stand for that.

Lightning felt a bead of sweat rolling down her back, between her breasts beneath the fatigues. She could feel her pulse in her ears. Then she heard something, something close.

_Pap._

She froze, only her head turning to follow her eyes. Something wet dripped onto her shoulder. Something wet and red, having once been warm with life. Then she raised her gaze.

Fuck.

XIII dropped out of the trees above like a ton of bricks, claws down and snarling. Lightning pushed with her feet, throwing herself out of the way, onto her back into a drift of snow. Wide eyed and well aware now, Lightning felt her adrenaline shooting through her veins, forgetting the aches and stiffness over the need to survive. Instincts were in control now, and her first was to line up the barrel of the rifle as XIII moved towards her. But the L'Cie still moved so fast.

Lightning's dismay was visible as adamantium sliced steel into fractions, rendering the firearm useless. Ammunition spilled to the ground. She rolled out of the way of a descending set of claws, struggling to get back to her feet, to get moving again. She felt like a sitting duck.

XIII ran her down, not dissuaded by any means. Hurting, weary, it didn't matter; the animal needed the last traces of that hellish nightmare off its back. Swiping, claws whistling through the air, cutting clear through a tree trunk instead of flesh like it was counting on. With a protestant groan the pine toppled over, crashing through branches and then _THUD_, thrusting upward a cloud of fresh powder upon impact. XIII jumped the stump in hot pursuit.

Lightning needed to think fast, realizing too quickly that she had very few options. She needed to get back to the remnants of her rifle, some of those darts should still be useable. But to buy herself that kind of time... she reached for the pistol strapped to her thigh. She didn't want to have to do it this way, she had been praying for something quick and painless, but that...there was no other choice.

Lightning stopped, quickly spun around and then opened fire.

_BLAM-BLAM-BLAM_

XIII was still so fucking fast, dodging two out of the three rounds by ducking low and twisting away. The third hit her in the chest, but Lightning could hear the round ricochet off the adamantium, _sh-PING_, and it did little to impede the L'Cie's wild motions. It leaped at her, claws out, almost too quick for her to react. Lightning could hear fabric ripping, the thick material of her fatigues splitting open as razor edges sliced into her. A grunt of pain escaped her as her entire body winced hard, her side torn open and scalding hot blood now gushing down her leg. She staggered, limping, but not allowing herself to turn her back on the L'Cie for more than a split second, just as it came at her again.

_BLAM_

_Sh-PING_

XIII hit the ground, the round having bounced off her forehead, ripping the skin open to reveal the metal beneath. Lightning didn't waste what little time she was certain she had, shambling away as quickly as she physically could. Praying. Her pocket buzzed again.

_Gods damn it. Not a good time!_

There was no time to answer. She couldn't stop, couldn't let herself be distracted. Lightning didn't dare to look back, a small, fear stricken part of her not wanting to the know if the L'Cie had gotten back up yet. For all she knew it could be inches from gutting her like she had the security personnel, their innards on the outside. Lawn ornaments in the snow. She didn't want to end up like that.

Just a few more feet, she chanted mentally through the red haze of burning pain. Just a few more feet. She could see the remains of the rifle. Those darts couldn't be too far now.

Just need one...

Do you know what it's like to get hit by a truck? Let's just say it's something akin to the sensation of your brain staying put, right where you last remember being, while your body is catapulted in an entirely different direction. Muscles and bones stretched to their limits, the air leaving your lungs as the world moves around you, and everything is heavy like a sonofabitch.

This was what Lightning felt just as she came within reach of the scattered ammo, like a truck smashing into the small of her back, hurling her forward with no control. Arms out she braced for the fall, and she fell hard, snow in her face and the frozen ground beneath it gouging like porcupine quills on her arms and palms. The initial daze passed and her vision settled. She spotted the rear end of an intact dart in the snow, just a stretch away. Without a second thought she reached for it, ignoring the tearing pain in her side.

A snarl erupted just behind her, a snap of teeth at her ears as weight shifted against her back. Then she found herself shrieking in agony as claws sank through her hand and wrist. Mortified she watched as blood spurted out of the wound, mingling with the crimson stains already soiling XIII's hand. Sharpened adamantium was slicing into bone, she could feel it, the hard resistance as she pulled her hand unconsciously back towards her.

Above her, crouching, perched on the hume's back, XIII's face was twisted into a perpetual grimace, hints of teeth showing as the heavy lines around her wild eyes only deepened. Her entire body shook, tired, adrenaline and fury being all that stood between the L'Cie and collapse. But not before she snuffed this hume. Had to do it, or the animal wouldn't be satisfied. The other set of claws raised, knuckles at XIII's cheek, poised.

"Lightning!"

It was XIII's turn to endure a head-on collision, and sparks flew on impact of adamantium scratching steel-like skin. Tank came barreling out of the trees, a brilliant shimmer of sunlight flickering off his shoulder as he pushed it through the savage L'Cie. Lightning jerked her body into a partial fetal position as the claws were ripped free of her hand, clutching the wounded appendage against her chest as she rolled onto her back. She could hear heavy footsteps, at least what resembled footsteps. She opened her eyes, once screwed shut with pain, only to see a looming and great shape standing over her. She blinked, eyes now widening. If a bull and a boar had offspring by some unfortunate happenstance, and it was twenty feet tall...

"The fuck..."

"Lightning, you okay?"

Shocked cerulean slid to fix on the empath now kneeling over her. "Do I look okay?" it was an honest question, and one she often used with the L'Cie.

"No. You look like shit. You've lost a lot of blood already. But you'll be all right." with a hand on her arm he was trying to curb her anxiety, getting the adrenaline and her heart rate down to slow the bleeding.

"Don't hurt her,"

"You're in shock, just take it easy."

"Fuck your shock and listen." and she snatched the front of his fancy NORA uniform. "No matter what you throw at her, she's going to throw it right back. Pain's only going to piss her off."

"Okay, okay," he pried her fingers loose, offering his undivided attention. "So what do we do?"

Her good hand went searching, touching the snow until she found a familiar, small, cylindrical object. "Just one should be enough."

"What is it?" he asked, taking it between to fingers.

She was shaking her head, starting to feel all the cold and hurt getting to her. "Just get to it."

"Okay. Watch her for me, Razorback." and he said this to the bull...warthog...thing which actually nodded in response. Lightning merely lay back, knowing it wouldn't do her much good to ponder the peculiarity of her situation for the time being. Without really thinking she began to pull her belt from her pants, knowing if she didn't compress the wound in her hand she would bleed out.

More sparks, metal on metal ringing through the trees. Tank held his own against XIII, but was admittedly concerned. He typically couldn't feel pain in this state, but her claws hurt. Like getting hit with a cat-o-nine-tails, just without drawing blood. And he just couldn't believe her stamina. She just kept coming. And gods was she strong! She could stand toe to toe with him, resist pound for pound by sheer force of will it seemed. Pure fury. It was nigh on terrifying, he'd never seen anything like it before.

"Hold her still, Tank!"

"Whaddya think I'm tryin' to do?!" he shouted back, his arms around the L'Cie but quickly losing purchase. "Come on now, we're trying to help!"

But he went ignored, bashed in the nose by the back of her head. He recoiled but didn't let go. It happened again, twice more, the fifth time snapped his head back hard enough to daze him, send him reeling. XIII turned on him in an instant and swiped her claws high, catching him in the face, putting him on the ground in a pained panic. Then she turned on the empath still sprinting towards his companion.

The animal could take them all. More than that. If that's what it took. It would kill all of them if necessary. If it meant staying free.

Emoticon had his mind in a tizzy thinking, wondering what the hell he was going to do to reach point B with the little point A in his hand. This L'Cie was going to tear him apart. One of the few instances where his abilities were completely useless. It was embarrassing. But it didn't stop him. Though he had no plan whatsoever, he still pushed forward.

XIII lurched into motion with claws ready, eyes set. When close enough, instincts springing into action, her arms reached out, slashing horizontally until they crossed over her chest. Confusion set in. She hadn't cut anything but air. A quick twist on the balls of her feet let her see the empath on his back, having slid through the snow to avoid having his head separated from his neck. She quickly jerked towards him, claws coming down, but then suddenly stopped. More confusion. XIII pulled and pulled, howling in frustration as her own arms refused to move. Emoticon just looked up, speechless as he was still alive.

XIII snapped her head to one side, her eyes cutting over her shoulder. Fury bubbled at the sight of a little redhead, their green eyes meeting. Was that little..._runt_ holding her still?

_No one holds me! NO ONE!_

L'Cie abilities that originate in the mind work like a two-way radio, giving as well as receiving. Flashback was reaching out with her meager telekinesis, and was getting a severe response. Think of the mother of all migraines, and then steadily multiply it by whatever capacity you choose. Surging, piercing, twisting that mimicked XIII's struggling resistance. She could feel XIII pushing back, physically and mentally, her feet slid in the snow, she could feel that...animal clawing against her. Emotions were piggy-backing on the connection, disrupting her focus with sharp, scraping instances of pain and horrid shrieking that only she could hear. You could see it on her face, a tightness around her eyes and in her jaw. Still she held on as tight as she could muster. Tighter than she thought herself able.

Emoticon watched, amazed, seemingly stuck where he was in the snow, on his hands and knees.

"Don't just sit there!"

He was ripped from his wonder by Tank's shouting, looking up to see the argent-skinned L'Cie standing over him. Before he could utter a word Tank had him by his uniform, both hands hoisting him up, and then took one big step while twisting at the waist. Emoticon went flying.

_Oh Etro, oh Etro, oh Etro!_

He thought he hit a brick wall, his limbs wrapping out of reflex perhaps, or fear of falling. He forced his eyes to open and mentally thanked the goddess for Tank's surprisingly good aim. Without further hesitation he rolled the dart in his hand, syringe down, and thrust it hard into the top of XIII's thigh. And for some reason he couldn't let go, he just held on as tight as he could even as the L'Cie thrashed and jerked in an attempt to get loose of him. She managed to hook her fingers into his clothes, pulling, but it just wasn't enough.

Too tired, too much pain.

Just...can't take any more.

But she held on to the last, as she hit her knees on the snowy ground, as she lost feeling in her limbs and her seemingly endless strength ebbed away. And then down she went, the claws sliding out of sight.

Emoticon lifted his head, still latched on, trying to catch his breath. Then he twisted to look over his shoulder.

"Warn me next time, you asshole!"

Tank was chuckling quietly as he walked over to help his comrade stand. "It got the job done, right?." and he pulled him to his feet. "Contact Angel, see if we can find an extraction point closer by."

"You got it."

"Hey, Flashback, you okay?" he could see the small redhead kneeling, her hand at her face. She looked up and nodded, and that's when he noticed a few rivulets of blood between her fingers. She got nosebleeds on occasion, whenever she overexerted her powers. He could only imagine the kind of force she had been fighting against.

Tank looked down, fascinated at the sedated L'Cie at his feet. Good gods, what was PSICOM doing fooling around with shit like this? When would they learn that mother nature never took too kindly to being played with?

_We're not toys, for Etro's sake._

He felt his steely fists clenching, a rare flash of anger roiling inside of him for all of a breath, and then disappeared. "We need to get moving. This whole range is going to be crawling soon."

"Angel says the closest road is in Aggra, about a half mile east of us."

"Then let's get trucking. Tell Freak to meet us there."

All this time Lightning had been lying on the ground, cold, fuzzy headed, staring at the bull-boar thing in partially vacant contemplation. It was talking to her, telling her everything was going to be okay. She just nodded in agreement, perhaps convinced she was dreaming.

Her thoughts fizzled but dwelled on the same group of questions.

Was it the right choice? Will I end up regretting this? Am I going to get frost bite on my ass?

I never said they were very profound questions.

Everything sort of just...went dim after that.

Author's Note: Kind of an odd stopping point, I know. But it's how it happened. Sue me. Still doing a lot of research for this, a solid plot's coming together bit by bit, so that's a good sign I guess. I'm building a lot of these characters, their traits and whatnot, as I go, so if it comes off as cheap, I apologize. This initially started off as just an illustration. I never expected it to...explode like this. So give me some margin for error. Otherwise, hope you enjoyed it and would like to see you all come next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

**XIII**

**Chapter Four**

The remains of the compound still burned, the heat just bearable, thick black smoke still curling into the sky in great roiling columns. PSCIOM had arrived in mass to assess the damage, going so far as to call in the assistant director of the entire organization. Needless to say he was less than pleased to discover the severity of the scene. Though you wouldn't think him upset by the stone set features of his face. In fact he seemed to be more upset over the fact that he had bloody snow on his nice shoes than he was over dead bodies everywhere and millions of gil going up in smoke. Still, he made his disappointment well known to the officer in charge, which, now that Rosch was out of the picture, was Dr. Jihl Nabaat.

Caius sat cross legged in the snow, not minding the cold at all. It had been colder. Yeul slept against his chest, in his massive arms to stay warm, seemingly contented and unperturbed by all the chaos and death going on around her. Ah, to be young.

His pricked ears honed in on the conversation between the PSICOM agents, expecting most of the words exchanged between them. They argued somewhat gently, snipping back and forth like cranky canines, mostly about where the fault about the entire situation rested. In the end they seemed to agree to disagree, deciding that shit simply happened at times. Caius would listen to little else, bored, that is, until Dr. Nabaat approached him with an extra snap to the usual sway of her hips. Naturally she was quite pissed, and if that physicality wasn't enough, the tightness around her eyes behind her glasses was more than enough to give that away.

She rubbed her upper arms furiously with her hands, cold, in her pajamas as all of her other belongings went up in flames with the rest of the compound.

"We're to be relocated. A transport will be here in an hour."

Caius nodded slowly, his body expanding and contracting with a breath. Steam billowed from his nostrils. "And what of us?"

"They've already got another job for you."

"And that would be?" the question was a low rumble.

"Six and One are being called back to help you; the higher-ups want the three of you to find and bring Thirteen back."

"If that is not possible?"

"Make it possible."

Caius chuckled, a strange purring sound underneath it. "Humor me."

"Alive or in pieces, they don't care. They want those bones back in PSICOM hands as soon as possible."

"I see." another slow nod. "And what of my compensation?"

"Work on it will resume once your job is finished."

It was only now that Caius turned his head, actually acknowledging the hume that stood so dangerously near to him. And his gaze was sharp, taloned like his hands. "That was _not_ the agreement." he snarled.

"They've altered the agreement."

Caius showed his teeth, reminding the woman of his namesake. "I will not-,"

"You _will_ if you wish to be paid. I'm not making these terms, Caius, they are. Take it up with them if you don't like it."

But it wasn't about whether or not he liked it. He had no choice otherwise. So he growled quietly turning his head away again. "So be it. Where is it we're moving to?"

"Won't know until we get there. Although I believe you and Nine will be taken elsewhere to rendezvous with the others."

"Very well." and his blue eyes darkened with a heavy scowl, a two ton expression.

Jihl remained a moment, though she had little else to relay to him. She was thinking, her face still tight. "So you didn't see anything? Smell anything?"

"I saw and smelled plenty." he replied after a shrug, perhaps growing rather tired of the woman's presence. "Though I did not see the runt flee, nor do I have a scent to track it by. It appears we'll have to do this the difficult way." yet that prospect didn't appear to bother him. He hadn't had a decent hunt in so long.

"Perhaps you could find one? Search the perimeter?"

"Is that an order?"

"Seeing as I'm the commanding officer here now, yes."

"Very well then." and he stood, lumbering, the young girl still comfortable against his chest. And with as little hurry as he could manage, he stepped off into the woods, where he found a faint trace of the L'Cie still lingering, a spatter of her blood against a tree trunk. It was more than enough.

_(II)_

Her mouth moved, she could hear something resembling her own voice, but there were no words. Just muffled noises. Was she sleep talking? She tried to open her eyes, her body stirring unsteadily. There was a numbness, though it was dying. Her bones felt heavy and her muscles were unresponsive, refusing to cooperate. Eyelids fluttered and more muffled sounds worked their way from between dried, chapped lips.

"Finally back with us?"

She knew that voice, though not as well as some others. She tried to answer, but no words could form properly as she fought against the deep sleep. She tried to roll over, a common tactic to wake herself, but her body wasn't about to let her. She forced her hands to lift upwards, settling on her face to rub her eyes with her fingertips, make them open. A pinch of pain in her left hand made her pause momentarily, registering the dull weight and itch of a fiberglass cast.

Halogen lights above greeted her blurred vision, made her blink. Everything looked white, smelled sterile like a hospital.

"Lightning?"

Dim, squinted cerulean rolled to the side, settling on the platinum-haired L'Cie that she thought she heard, connecting his identity to his shirt and tie. For the moment she just looked at him, her expression a mixture of mild confusion and sleepy inquisition. "..dafuck'mai?"

Hope chuckled a little, his eyebrows high while his mind translated the sluggish slur. "If I understood, we're currently residing on a tiny spit of land adrift in the north reaches of the Sea of Bismark."

She blinked again. The Sea. Of. Fucking. _Bismark_?

That meant Aggra – hell, _home_ – was no less than a thousand miles away. Not that the distance was anything new, she'd been that far and farther from home before but...

"Oh my gods."

"Don't get so bent. It's the safest place for people like us to be."

Lightning ran her hand over her face. "And that would be?"

"Muir Island Research Center."

After a moment she nodded slowly, though the newly disclosed information changed absolutely nothing. She rubbed her eyes again, and then shrugged. "Best start explaining. _Slowly_."

And he did just that, beginning where she last remembered, the snowy, wooded valley. Unknown to Lightning at the time, NORA had friendly contacts in the nearby village of Aggra, where the team held up long enough to arrange extraction as well as patch up those nasty lacerations on the now former security commander's side and hand. Just enough to make the trip to the airport, and then the some hours long flight to the island. It was late that same evening when everything had finally settled down, the worst of it over. That was two days ago.

"The others...are they okay?"

Hope nodded, smiling, surprised. "Everybody's fine. Little scares, but nothing major. Tank...I mean Snow...he's not used to getting hurt like that." and he chuckled a little, remembering his friend's fit over having tender welts criss-crossing his body and face when they returned to the island. Almost childish how he carried on. And Vanille's bloody nose didn't seem to want to stop, but they found it to be nothing threatening. Just stubborn.

Lightning blinked, her expression changing suddenly. "What about Serah? Does she know?"

Hope nodded. "She's actually on her way here, the plane should be landing soon."

That confusion crept back again.

"Why the face? She's been working with us for a while now, she's come here before...oh. She never told you about that?"

"About what?"

"Her supposed 'teacher's conferences'?" he laughed again.

Something clicked, she shook her head. "Etro...I feel dumb."

"Don't. Secrecy is a big deal for us, we even bullshit each other just to see how good we are at it. It's how we've managed to stay out of trouble for this long. I hate to admit it but...we know how to lie."

_Doesn't everybody?_ _Do it to myself all the time._ And she thought about it for a while, the words ringing between her ears. Though she had to wonder, what else were they lying about?

"But...in our defense...your record didn't leave us a lot of room to trust you. Not at first."

"Fair enough."

"On the other hand...I say you've earned a great deal of it now."

Funny, that didn't make her feel any better. In fact she felt just that much more...shitty. "Any word of it on the news?" Time for a subject change.

"Not really, but something like that wouldn't be. All the public heard about was some 'forest fire'," and he made mild quotations with his hands. "PSICOM's going to want a ten ton, cast-iron lid on this one."

"No doubt. Anything else?"

"Been quiet otherwise. Well, not around here, but,"

Lightning looked at him a little more closely, actually studied his face, and found him looking...drawn. She sat up a little, wincing, propping herself up on her elbows. "You all right?"

"Just tired is all. Me and Yuj both have been having trouble sleeping. He's been up...all hours, just listening for anyone that might be actively looking for us...PSICOM mostly."

"And you?"

He didn't answer right away, pausing to rub his eyes and take a deep breath. Then he looked at her, still smirking a little. "Fancy getting out of bed for a bit?"

It was troublesome to do, standing, painful and awkward at first, but she managed to her feet with his help and they left the small room for a long corridor. Standing close by, just for safety's sake, he walked with her down the length of it.

"Did you know I can turn my powers off?"

She looked at him briefly, head snapping towards him for a moment as if surprised by the statement.

"I had guessed." she replied casually.

"I came into them pretty early, so I had time to...figure them out, so to speak. I learned how to...tune things out."

Lightning began to wonder why he was going on like this. He never seemed the one for idle conversation. Typically so quiet.

"Though as good at it as I think I am, there are still others that...get through. I've found three types of people who can."

Still she listened, though still mildly confused at his sudden openness. A small part of her prayed there was a point to it, while another part whined at the pain in her side and in her hand, the cast on her wrist itching. There was the dull tingle of nerve damage.

"Empaths are the first I found. I didn't think there were different types of empathic L'Cie before, but there are. There are static empaths, they can only feel others' emotions -can't change them at all. Then there are working empaths like me."

"Any others?"

His face dimmed with a heavy brow and a severe setting of his eyes. "Projecting empaths, and I've only ever met one in my life. One too many."

"Must not have been too pleasant."

"No." the darkness in his features cleared up suddenly as he shook his head, a laugh shaking through him. "Then there are powerful telepaths. I met one while I was still in med school. We dated for a while, but it didn't really pan out. She didn't feel the need to ask for my permission before putting dirty pictures in my head during lectures."

Lightning would've laughed had she not been content enough just to do so in her head.

"And that third type of person need not even be L'Cie. Some people are just so...intense that I can't block it out. Found that out at a concert I went to once in Nautilus. Almost had a nervous breakdown." again he chuckled. But it hadn't helped, then, that he had been drinking and the music was so loud. It was a recipe for disaster. "Still...in any case, turns out your friend is like person number three."

Lightning felt her heart rate jump a little, though her brow lowered over her eyes and she reigned in her attempt at a reaction. So that's what this was all about. "How is she?"

"Physically she's fine, at last it seems that way. But it's what's going on upstairs that's got me worried."

Although Lightning was expecting an answer like that.

The two of them rounded the corner, down another hallway, and stopped part of the way down. There was a door, but neither of them motioned to open it, though Hope moved. He was pulling something out of his pocket. There was a distinct rattle. It was aspirin, or something of the like.

"Like I said," he popped a pair of them in his mouth. "Intense. But it's safe, she's asleep." and he opened the door.

It led into another room just like the one Lightning had woken up to. Small, simple, with a bed you'd more often see in a hospital. There was a heap piled up on the mattress, a mess of dark, dusky and wild hair was tumbling out of the twisted sheets. The heap moved a little, systematically with quick breaths. Lightning looked on, her heart twisting into knots. Even now, not tangled up in wires and jerking with pain, it was hard to look at her like this. Guilt began to swell, her brow lowering and heavy over her eyes once again. Her injured hand tucked to her chest, the other hand resting over where she could feel bandages beneath her t-shirt.

"Were we too late?"

"No, but I think we cut it awful close." he was quick to answer as he could already feel her concern. Though he was consciously trying not to. "Though I was worried in the beginning." Hope crossed his arms, his brow knitting at the pain in his head. "Even after the drugs wore off she just kind of...laid there. I mean...she was awake but...not there. You know?"

Yeah, she knew.

"Then she just wandered around the room, like she was sleep walking. Off and on like that for hours. After that...she just sat on the bed, looking around, looking at her hands." and his expression twisted curiously, remembering. Listless, vacant, "Doe in the headlights."

Lightning felt her jaw tighten.

"It bothered me because...I wasn't getting anything. No emotions, no...nothing. Just static."

"What happened?"

His features darkened again, tighter this time, pain lancing through his forehead. His stomach was now tight with it. "Last night I jerked out of a dead sleep with the feeling that I'd been bashed in the chest with a sledgehammer." He recalled, rather vividly, the cool rush of air against his naked body as he jackknifed upright in bed with enough force to dizzy himself, the blankets spilling to the floor as he hurried for his nearest article of clothing. His rush came from knowing exactly where the sudden onslaught came from. "Came to find her on the floor, looked like she'd thrown herself out of bed. But...her eyes, though she was staring straight through the ceiling...they weren't vacant anymore."

They were wide open, aware, horrified.

"But she didn't seem to know I was there." and she really hadn't. He had waved a hand in front of her, expecting the eyes to track the movement, but no. No reaction to his presence at all. Yet he was still being beset by all sorts of emotions all at once, all of them coming barreling out of that tortured L'Cie's fractured mind. "It was like...whatever PSICOM had done...like it all came back in that second...and the person they tried to destroy remembered."

Her jaw tightened even more, her molars creaking.

"And though I don't know what went on in that compound as well as you...I've read the experiment itinerary," that, among a trove of other files NORA had lifted while in the mainframe. "Those memories couldn't have been pleasant. Still...in any case, it hasn't stopped much since. I think what's going on is...it's like...have you ever given a computer a forced restart?"

"A time or two."

"Something like that. Her mind is trying to catch up to her body after all the repeated trauma. I'd imagine it would have been able to do that sooner if it weren't for all the interference from the drugs. Thorazine is bad stuff used in doses like that." and he shook his head. "Maybe sleepwalking was a side effect of her metabolism trying to process it all. I don't know. We're still working on all that. Her mutation is unlike anything we've ever seen."

Lightning arched an eyebrow towards him. She didn't like at all how he was starting sound like one of those bastards at the compound. One of his emerald eyes slid to her, catching the cutting gaze.

"Please don't think of me like that. That's not how it is here, far from it." and he waited, but she would say nothing. "I'll explain later." and he sounded a little defeated. "But...still...there's someone in there, they're just trying to find their way back...and they're scared. I think if we give it enough time,"

Lightning nodded slowly, though still tense. "So what's with the aspirin if she's asleep?"

"She's dreaming. She hadn't been before, and it's just...radiating." so many different emotions with all the force of a wrecking ball. "The only time I can get some decent shut eye is if she's awake. Or I'm drunk."

He barely looked old enough to drink, she thought, and almost laughed again. She scowled, her eyes closing with a deep shrug. "There's got to be something we can do about PSICOM. Expose them...something."

"Exposing them would expose us. And you of all people should know," he turned to her, his eyes meeting hers, his expression grave, "_no one's_ going to care about hume scientists cutting up a few L'Cie just to see what makes them tick."

And he was right. That was the worst part.

"Don't think we aren't doing something about it. Just have to be more careful." then his expression softened again, became more familiar. "But...I'm going to step out...or I'm gonna puke."

Though Lightning remained if for but a moment longer, eyes still fixed on the sleeping heap upon the mattress.

_Give it enough time_.

Time. It'll heal wounds, soften bad memories, stiffen a scar or two. But what about guilt? I'll tell you it ages like milk.

Lightning's head dipped, her chin near her chest, and she pressed one hand against her eyes.

_Gods...I'm so sorry._ A breathy whimper weaseled out at the thought.

However there was a slight mystery in exactly who or what she was apologizing to. There was a list by now, you see.

Hope would feel it when she finally walked -excuse me, limped- back into the corridor, her guilt churning though no visible trace of it was on her face. It was potent enough to form words. _It's all my fault_. He wanted to say something, but didn't feel like she would really hear him right now. She wouldn't take the comfort, she was just that way.

Lightning scratched the back of her head after closing the door behind herself, shuffling on and expecting Hope to follow, which he did.

"Tell me more about this place."

Hope's surprise at the request was visible on his face, his platinum brows lifting towards his mussed hairline. "Well, the center was built some ten years ago by...our boss, to be as both frank and vague as possible. A good friend of his runs the place, Dr. MacTaggart. She's a celebrated geneticist that specializes in L'Cie mutations."

"How the hell did she come by a degree like that?"

"She developed it."

Another near laugh. She never pinned Esthiem to have a sense of humor like this, much less at all. Learn something new everyday.

"Can I ask who this 'boss' is?"

"Sure, can't guarantee I'll give you the answer you want though."

Her eyes narrowed. "I think I'm starting to like you better when you're quiet."

"I sensed that." and he gave a small chuckle. "But this place also serves as NORA headquarters. It's out of the way, but it's also out of PSICOM's range for the most part. They'd be hard pressed to send something after us without us seeing it first. That is, if they knew we were here."

"Good to know. I don't suppose you have a bald guy rolling about in a wheelchair somewhere?"

"Come again?"

"Never mind." she shook her head slowly, hiding her small smile. "Surprised I'd never heard of this place before."

"Most people haven't. It's not so much of a big deal, considering what Moira does. That is Dr. MacTaggart."

"But your boss must be if he can front the funding to keep this place running. Send you guys to hell and back like he does."

"True," Hope nodded. "Very true."

"Why?"

He wouldn't answer right away, and they continued their lengthy stroll in relative silence. She waited patiently, giving no real attention to where they were headed. She began to wonder if he even had an answer for her when they paused momentarily at a set of double doors that slid back at the empath's behest. On the other side lay the heart of the research center, the observatory. Ten foot bay windows circled the entire room which stretched somewhere in the neighborhood of forty feet in radius. You could see out over the cliffs on the north face of the island, into the Sea of Bismark. And in this hemisphere it was early spring, allowing the sun to shine, to glisten off of a velvet midnight waves.

"Everyone's here for different versions of the same reason, if I were to be honest. One way or another we, my boss included, support that seemingly ludicrous idea that L'Cie are people too. That we shouldn't have our rights stripped away...or our humanity cheapened just because we were born different. We want to make the world see that."

Lightning was captivated by the sight, but was still focused enough to ask, "And if you never do?"

"Then we're going to do whatever it takes to get under PSICOM's skin. They're our biggest threat...the enemy of every L'Cie breathing."

Lightning felt her jaw tighten, the description sounding hauntingly familiar. She didn't vocalize the notion, thinking that Hope was already feeling it by now. He didn't need to hear it, too.

Her eyes scanned more of the room, taking it in, the sights and sounds. Countless monitors and consoles, a great mass of a machine in the center that looked to be projecting a three-dimensional hologram of Pulse itself. She spotted the mussed head of hair that could only be Maqui sitting on the floor near the machine, a panel open and his hands wrist deep inside of it. The image would flux from time to time, rippling and blinking. She spotted Yuj next, slumped back in a rolling chair, arms hanging and head tipped back, headphones nestled on his ears as he appeared to sleep. As Hope had mentioned, he'd been listening. For days actually, to a seemingly unending haze of radio and cellular transmissions, to anything and everything just in case someone might be on to them.

There was someone else there, someone Lightning didn't recognize. Red hair so intense it was just shy of blood, the ends curling underneath and resting just atop square and resolute shoulders. An hourglass figure stuffed inside a suit, a skirt, toned legs and low heeled shoes clicking across the floor as she walked between monitors and consoles. And all of that concealed beneath a white lab coat, the single breast pocket stuffed with numerous pens as one would often be forgotten for another in the rush of one's busy thoughts. The woman, who appeared somehow prematurely in her forties, habitually adjusted her glasses, pushing them up her nose by the bridge even when they had yet to drift astray. Her features were thin, firm set and studious as her brow knit in the middle, crow's feet stretching near her half squinting eyes.

Lightning couldn't help but feel as though she had at last encountered a personality just as if not more so abrasive than her own. Isn't that's something.

"Come on, I'll introduce you." and Hope's hand on her shoulder, gently pulling, somehow kept her from saying no. "Dr. MacTaggart,"

She straightened, a snap at the waist coupled with the jerk of her head had the geneticist looking over the rims of her rectangle frames with a piercing auburn gaze. "Augh, young Mister Esthiem. Pleased ta see ya on yer feet this afternoon."

Lightning was very surprised at her thick, _thick_ accent, curious immediately as to where MacTaggart was from. Certainly nowhere she had visited before.

"So am I right in assumin' our special guest be catchin' a few winks?"

"That you would." he nodded. "Ms. Moira, I'd like to introduce you to-,"

Moira intentionally pulled her glasses down, looking at Lightning directly. "Claire Anaya Farron, also called Lightning. I've read the file."

Light slide her eyes narrowly to Hope. "When were you going to tell me I had a 'file'?"

"Everybody 'as one, miss. The only question comes in findin' who 'olds it. Aye," she pushed her glasses back up her nose, "I know plenty about you."

"Can't say I like the thought of that." one rosy eyebrow lifted.

"Afraid you'll 'ave ta get used to it. In our line 'o work you cannae afford not to know." and the doctor turned away, walking, "Though, bein' who ya are, I wouldn't like it either."

Lightning inwardly cringed.

"She's...blunt...sometimes." Hope said quietly.

"I noticed."

"...your middle name is Anaya?"

She glared, plain enough language for him to know he wasn't going to get a comment on that question. "Yeah...another subject...doctor?"

"Aye?"

"Have you got anything on that blood sample I gave you?"

"I do, though nothin' that will surprise ya."

"Could you humor me anyhow?"

"Iffin' yer willin', aye. Come an' 'ave a look."

Lightning was slow to follow Hope as he crossed the floor to where Moira was now sitting in front of half a dozen computer screens. The geneticist had pulled up a diagram of a human body, the skeleton and vascular system, and they were arranged beside graphs of varying colors and meanings.

"I found a significant drop in cell renewal activity from the last sample ya gave me."

"So what could that mean, do you think?" Hope scanned the screens in turn, fascinated and visibly curious as he took it all in.

"One o' two things. The increased rate from before was actually a form of rejection ta the bondin' process, or the presence of the adamantium is actually inhibitin' the healin' factor."

"What about the radiation exposure I told you about? Could that have temporarily altered her metabolic rate?"

"Cannae say it couldn't." Moira shook her head a little. "Though I cannae find any traces o' that radiation now. But this kind of mutation is still so new ta me."

"I thought you were a specialist," Lightning crossed her arms, having been standing quietly behind them.

"Aye, but only on what I've seen, what I've tested. I 'aven't 'ad a L'Cie like this in my center before."

"You must be so excited." Lightning felt herself tensing, the sound of fascination in Moira's voice suddenly so repulsive to her.

Moira turned the chair she sat in only part way, just enough so she could look at the younger woman who sounded so suspiciously to be judging her. "Don' ya be getting' all high an' mighty now, missy. Unlike yer'self, my work for the last _decade_ 'as been for the _good_ o' these people. Now, while I don' deny yer efforts nor refuse ta show any gratitude fer what ya've done to bring this poor woman outta those bastards' hands, I say ya've got nae room ta be lookin' down yer nose at _me_."

Hope felt the unseen sparks, the heavy tensions that went like a lightning bolt between them. He felt the need to step back. The look the two women gave each other was...frightening. Thankfully, his cell phone began to buzz in his back pocket. The conversation was short, to the point, but left a relieved smile on his face.

"We'll leave you to your work Moira. Sorry to cut and run, but we're going to meet Serah at the air strip."

The geneticist's expression shifted immediately, softening, she even smiled. "What a pleasant surprise. Best be along then, wouldn' want ta keep the Yank waitin'."

"Don't get bent," Hope whispered as he took Lightning's arm, encouraging her to follow him out as he took note of the odd look on her face. "She calls all of us that sometimes."

And while the bit about the "yank" didn't phase her much at all, almost everything else Moira had said began to bounce between her ears, stewing, settling in deep like claws in the back of her mind. It was that, mixed with that uneasy feeling of knowing someone had seen her dirty laundry. MacTaggart knew about _everything_. Every contract, every job. Guilt surged, kept her quiet, contemplative, feeling sorry. Even seeing the splendor of Muir Island from outside of the center couldn't lift the heavy weight from her shoulders, not a bit. As gorgeous as the view was from the top of the hills, looking down towards a distant harbor and the airstrip. Otherwise, it was all green with grass.

A small aircraft was already preparing to leave, its only passenger aside from the pilot walking along the meager tarmac. Serah shouldered her backpack, adjusting its minor weight as she looked up into the hills, spying what looked like a golf cart puttering its way down the paved path towards her. She stepped aside as it screeched to a stop, Hope behind the wheel. She set her backpack down next to him, to keep him company, and she slid into the back to sit next to her less than pleased looking sibling.

"That bad huh?" she asked as the cart lurched into motion, jerking.

"You came in your pajamas?"

"So? You're not wearing shoes."

Lightning's expression quirked and she looked down, finding that she was indeed barefoot, pale digits poking out from beneath her fatigues. Her eyes lifted, still seeming confused. Who forgets their shoes?

"What did you tell mom?"

"Teacher's conference."

Lightning shook her head, a slight, very slight smirk curling one corner of her mouth. "And here I thought I knew you."

"Please," Serah rolled her eyes. "You make it out like it's such a big deal. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have to. I made less of a fuss when you came out of the closet."

Light's eyes cut severely to her sister, her features firming. Serah responded with a look of her own, as if unknowing what was wrong with what she said. Then it clicked; Hope didn't know about that. With any luck he hadn't been listening. Quick subject change.

"So what happened to your shoes?" it was the first thing to come to her.

"I've only been up about an hour." Light settled back into her previous tone, lounging a little.

"Yeah, I heard that L'Cie got you pretty good. Can I see it?"

Another funny look.

Serah chuckled at her sister's reaction, thinking maybe Lightning didn't realize that she was just kidding. "But, speaking of that...any news?"

"Not yet. Just waiting to see what happens."

"...You okay?" seeing the deep, almost fierce thoughtfulness on Light's face was troubling for the younger Farron. Doubly so when her sibling gave no answer, even after a long spell.

_No. I'm not okay. I'm a lot a things right now, but not that._

"All of this...I'm still taking it in. We can talk about it later."

Serah silently analyzed the answer, her brow knitted gently with sympathy. "Okay."

Author's Note: Yeah, that was weird. More expose`, but I suppose it fits seeing as the last chapter was nothing but action, and even before that what information I've given up is minimal at best. So yeah, somehow it works. Be sure to check out my DA for news and illustrations from time to time. And thanks to you readers, love you guys!


	6. Chapter 5

**XIII**

**Chapter Five**

Black and red.

Hot and cold.

Dreams of dying.

Dagger hands.

The stink of death. Bloody murder.

Weightlessness. Then being so heavy you can't breathe. Flashes, both bright and dim like dying stars. Darkness and light, voices miles away. Shapes, blurred and out of focus, fluttered about. And pain. So much pain. It crackled through her flesh even now, phantom figments that manifested as pinpricks and widespread aches as she stumbled slowly into awareness.

Her chest lifted upward, her shoulders and head slow to follow, like being pulled up by a string. The heaviness she felt in her body showed in her posture, back hunched, head and shoulders pulled downward. She registered a horrible taste in her mouth, dog sick and burnt bacon.

_"Gods...my arms hurt."_

_Don't worry about it, you just slept on them funny._

_"Yeah...that's it."_

She put her hands through her hair. It felt dirty, knotted, and it hung heavy around her face as she leaned forward. She felt a fine layer of filth across her skin, like she hadn't bathed in days. A quick sniff confirmed the suspicion. What happened? No way she just drifted off and didn't wake up.

_What do you remember?_

Remember the dreams, seemingly numbering in the thousands. Sift through each one and try to understand, decipher them through a phantasmal and red haze of pain. They all blur together, no picking them apart, no distinguishing shapes or sounds.

_What was the last thing? Before that?_

_"I think I drank the worm again."_ She shook her head, slightly smirking. _That_ she remembered. Tequila, the burn of it, and the smokey smell of a cigar. She liked cigars. Liked just to kick her boots off, prop her feet up, and light one just to taste it. Listening to Kansas as she lounged on the couch. Suppose that's what happens when you work in a bar long enough.

_"Chuck is gonna be pissed."_

Chuck was her boss. Wouldn't be surprised if she got fired the moment she showed her face again.

But it's only been a day...right? Why would he get so mad about her missing one day?

_"Damn...my arms are sore."_

_No big deal, just took a nasty spill._

_"That's all. No big deal. Must've slipped or somethin'...hit the pavement."_

But why would that put her in a hospital? The room smelled like one, sterile, clean, the air a little stagnant. She had yet to see it, as her eyes had stayed closed thus far. She rubbed them first with gentle pressure behind her fingertips and then blinked, tender eyes adjusting to the light. Yeah. A hospital, that's what this place looked like. The nose doesn't lie.

She groaned, throat scratching as she swallowed. She needed to get up, get some answers.

_"Maybe I was hit by a car...remember a bright flash of light...before everythin' goes wonky...before the dreams of a big purple cat shovin' my ass in a microwave."_

Her knees didn't want to keep when she first got to her feet, her body seeming still so heavy sliding off the bed, having to hang on for a moment. Putting weight on one hand sent a fresh charge of pain, a hard pinching sensation through her palm. She winced.

_"What the hell did I do?"_

_Just wanker's cramp._

Though she didn't look to see where the pain was coming from, knowing there would be no open wounds or traces of one. It felt bone deep anyway. After getting hurt enough times you can learn to tell.

She felt a draft as the bedsheets fell away. By Pulse, she had no clothes, though the only thing about that appearing to trouble her was the jeans she could remember having worn were her most comfortable pair. Maybe come payday she'd have enough to get another. She stretched, reaching upward, joints popping. She didn't notice how the usual dull click had become more of a muffled chime, like she didn't hear it at all and only felt it happen. Perhaps she was too focused on the empty feeling in her stomach. At this point she'd eat the asshole out of a skunk.

She scratched at an itch at her chest as her arms lowered from over her head, her nails catching on something...plastic feeling. Looking down she saw a small patch stuck to her skin, a little red light blinking in a cadence that she noticed matched her heart beat. Her sensitive ears picked up on a faint beeping. Without much thought she peeled it off, not too approving of its presence. That beeping turned into a high pitched whine, yet went ultimately ignored.

Still feeling heavy she crossed the floor, approaching the door, and pressing her ear to it before trying to open it. It sounded quiet outside, more so than she expected it to be. What time was it? Maybe it was the graveyard shift...make sneaking out easier. Frankly, she just wanted to get home and be done with this. Rather forget about it altogether. Never liked hospitals much anyhow.

The corridor on the other side was quiet, empty, and still held an unfamiliar scent, a saltiness that bristled the hairs on the back of her neck. Something wasn't right. This didn't smell like home, or anywhere else she had ever been before. Concern tightened her features and her instincts started whispering. _Run. Get away. Just go._ And she did, listening carefully for anything moving nearby before her feet took off at a brisk pace down the corridor.

All of them looked the same, the other passages and halls, and it only made her more tense. Looking up and down, left to right, back and forth, all of it identical. This place was a fucking maze, and she was quickly losing her cool. There had to be a way out of here, a fire exit, _something_...

She spied a camera in a corner near the ceiling, her brow tightening. Gods damn it all. So much for sneaking out.

_Don't let them catch you._

But right beside the camera was exactly what she had been looking for: a glowing red sign that blazed _EXIT_. Now the challenge was finding it before whoever inhabited this gods-forsaken place found her.

Hope had gone running once he heard the small alarm. He had been perusing the PSICOM files that had been pilfered from the alpine compound when it started screeching. It was for the vitals monitor patch, it was no longer reading a pulse. It wasn't reading anything. He leaped out of his chair and went barreling out of the observatory towards the hospital wing. One could only imagine his feelings over finding the room completely empty, the vitals patch on the floor, still emitting that high pitched whine. He couldn't help but think the word "crap" over and over again, getting more despairing as it went. Initial panic aside, he knew he needed to act. If he _thought_ loud enough, Freak would hear him. After all, they're just brain waves.

_Freak...Yuj...you copy?_

Nothing.

_YUJ, WAKE UP!_

_Uh, yeah, what?_

_ Our L'Cie's gone AWOL, get on the cameras and see if you can spot her._

_ You got it._ A long pause, longer than Hope would've liked. _Got her. Heading for the emergency exit it the south corridor._

_ Call Snow and have him meet me on the way. And put the whole place on lock-down._

_ Will do. But it's not like she can leave the island..._

_ I don't want to have to swim after her, do you?_

_ Point taken._

Running, barreling down the corridor like a truck, but uphill and with a full load. Limbs feeling heavy, just couldn't move fast enough. Her heart was pounding, she could feel the sweat on her skin, her thoughts frantic and manifesting as worry in her searching green eyes. Where's the way out? Gotta find it. Gotta get _away_.

Bare feet squeaked on tile as she slid to turn a corner, convinced it would be the last one, certainty in her guts. Without stopping for more than a breath she started running again, harder, any harder and she might take flight. She shoved passed two bodies, not caring in the least as she spotted the door that would take her out of this place. All she had to do was push the metal bar across the door and shove it open.

_WHAM_

It didn't open. It should have flown off the hinges! Why wouldn't it open? _Why_?! She momentarily stared at the door, part mortified and part furious. She threw herself into it a second time, third time. She pressed against it, pounding it with her fist. Then she pulled back to punch it straight on, too angry to think, the muscles in her forearm, her entire body tightening.

_Snikt._

The claws came out.

She felt the jolt of fresh pain, forced by natural reaction to look and see why, where it had come from. A small part of her wished it really _had_ just been wanker's cramp. She staggered back, staring wide eyed and slack-jawed at her hands. Her knees struck the floor, her chest heaving.

_"Etro...what's happened to me...what have they done?!"_

_They. _They_ did it. They found us out! They know our secret!_

She jerked around, rising. She wasn't alone.

Serah was still a little dazed from her impact to the floor, knees wobbling. Before straightening she tried to help her sister to her feet.

Lightning shook her head quickly. "Just run, go find some help." she knew what was going down before fully realizing what had just happened. Shit was looking to hit the fan. "Get out of here!"

All the younger Farron could do was run, do as she was told. And not a moment too soon. The wild L'Cie was on Lightning's back the moment Serah had turned the corner. Lightning felt a fist in her shirt, jerking upwards, lifting her roughly from the floor as if she weighed nothing. The stitches in her side pulled perilously tight, the wound threatening to open, both hands tucking to it. A blur of movement just before her back smacked the wall. Then her feet left the floor as she was hoisted up, the weight of her body pulling even more on those stitches.

"It was _you_, wasn't it?! _You_ did this to me!"

"N-no," the response was a pained grunt, her head shaking against the wall.

"_Liar_!" She had to be, she knew her scent, knew those eyes. From somewhere, vaguely, but still they were familiar. And she didn't like it.

Lightning could feel the scrape of the claws against her face. She looked down into the L'Cie's enraged eyes, more intense now as she was actually aware of the horrors committed against her. Enough of them, at least, to be this pissed.

"So help me, I will _gut_ _you_," she growled. "I want the _truth_!"

Lightning was trying, but the pain in her side was so intense now that it seemed to have locked her jaw, stolen her voice. "P-please...PSICOM..."

"The fuck is PSICOM?! Don't bullshit me!"

"Fang?"

Both turned their heads, though the L'Cie was much quicker, sharper in the motion than the hume.

"That's your name, right?"

She stared back at the platinum haired young man, face still lined with anger. "How...how do you know me?" then the lines deepened. "Is all this 'cause of _you_?!" and she thrust the claws in his direction, a point of accusation. And she noticed the other standing behind him, a larger man, and immediately felt a surge of threat pulling through her.

"No. Just let me explain," he started to move forward, slowly.

"Not another step," she snapped, pulling the claws back, poising them at Lightning's ribs. The helpless hume winced. She could feel warm rivulets of blood running down her leg.

"Okay, okay," he froze, putting his hands up in a submissive gesture. "Fair enough."

"Now talk. Where the hell am I?"

Hope swallowed. "This is the Muir Island Research Center. We brought you here about three days ago."

"Why?"

"We had just recovered you from a PSICOM facility near Aggra. Please, we're only trying to help."

It seemed like some of the ire was ebbing, her face now darkened with what looked to be partial contemplation. "PSICOM...they do this?"

"From what we know so far...yes."

"But you're not one o' them?"

"No, the exact opposite actually." Hope relaxed a little, though only just so as he could still feel a heavy pressure of anxiety coming from her.

"Why help me then?"

"Because we, my friend Snow and I, are just like you. We're...different."

Fang looked at both of the men in turn with sharp inquisition. "Prove it."

Without a word Snow took one large step forward and changed his skin, steel seeming to melt over him and take the shape of his body. Hope only chuckled slightly.

"I'd show you mine if I could. I'm an empath. I'm feeling what you're feeling right now...a lot of anger and confusion...a lot of fear." And Hope released a quiet breath as he felt those emotions roiling through him take a step back. They were easing, though the confusion was starting to overwhelm the other two. He tried reaching out, to curb the emotions gently.

"An' what about her?"

"Lightning is our friend. Please, put her down. No one here wants to hurt you."

Fang unceremoniously allowed the hume to slide to the floor, unable to stand for the now pulsing wound in her side. She took an awkward step back, hands still clenched, her body starting to shake. The rage left her expression, but instead stretched with deep dismay. She looked around, perhaps only now realizing where she was, or maybe finally accepting that she had nowhere else to run. She could cut her way through that door, but then what? He said it was an island. The mainland likely not for miles.

Hope felt the anger die, despair settling beside the confusion. He didn't mean for her emotions to change so drastically, but he would take what he could get. So long as no one got hurt.

"I just..." Fang sank to the floor, hands on her head. "I wanna go home." There was no fight left in her.

"Snow, can you get Lightning to the infirmary?" he asked quietly.

"You got it." he replied with a sharp nod. "Can you handle this by yourself?"

"I think so."

"Don't be afraid to call somebody."

"Let me worry about it."

"If you say so." and the steely L'Cie wasted no more time, taking steady but not too quick strides to take Lightning up in his arms, ignoring her protests to his "babying her".

Hope was slow in his steps towards Fang, very wary of her anxiety. Something like that could go bad at a moment's notice, terribly sensitive. Cutting the blue or the red wire.

As carefully as he had advanced, he crouched down. "Listen," his voice was soft, almost whispering. "I know you're scared, but it's all right. You're safe here."

No response. Not at first. Then Fang's head lifted, tresses of dark and wolfish hair falling around her face. She looked straight ahead. "What happened to me? I...I can't remember." Then she looked at her hands, more so at the claws and the metal terminals they sprang out of.

"Give yourself a little time. It might come back. Until then...how about some clothes and something to eat?" he could sense her hunger.

"Yeah...okay." though she didn't move right away to stand, her brow knitting. "I can't...they won't go back in."

"Well..." at first he didn't know what to say. "Let's get you dressed first, then we'll see what we can do."

_(II)_

Caius took the train since he didn't enjoy flying or long drives in close quarters, and was sitting in a car nearly alone save for Yeul who rested her head on his thigh. He ran his talons smoothly through her hair, a strange purring sound coming from deep within his chest. Seemingly content. Yet he wasn't, as one would notice from the bristling of the thick hairs on his arms.

He could smell the other one, that is Six, as One had yet to be reached, elsewhere on the train, but had no desire to interact. He would have to eventually, but there was no need to do so any sooner than what was necessary. To be honest, he would rather go about his task alone. He had no need for the others. They were much more likely to slow him down than to offer him any real help. He knew what he was doing, hunting was in his blood, his nature. The others...they were just that, others. Just hired hands.

Still, PSICOM insisted they could be of some use here. And Caius would tolerate their decision. So long as it suited him, that is. For the time being he would, at the very least, tolerate Six and One's...assistance. However, the moment they became too much of a nuisance, well, surely you can guess what he might think to do. And he hoped the other two L'Cie were already aware of this, so he wouldn't have to forcibly remind them. That stood to be messy.

Though, when you got down to the nitty-gritty of it all, Caius didn't much care for any of that. All that mattered was that the job was completed, and that he was finally paid what was owed him. And gods help those lowlife humes if they dared to _alter_ the agreement a second time.

He took a deep breath, growling a little as it eased out, his eyes only somewhat focused at the scenery passing by on the other side of the window. It was late in the afternoon now, the sunset in clear view. Then he looked away, back down to the gentle weight in his lap.

_We will be happy again, Yeul. Soon. Like I promised._

The door to the compartment suddenly slid back, and by slid I mean flew with enough force to slam. Then the upper half of a clearly feminine form leaned inside.

"Hey there, Tusk, long time no see." and the bitch wore a cocky smile.

He could only frown, grumbling.

This would be a long ride.

_(III)_

"Ow," Lightning grumbled, a slight sarcasm to the complaint. She sat atop the examining table, shirt hiked up to her breasts, one arm bent behind her head, watching as the empath repaired the stitches. Thankfully the wound hadn't completely reopened, but there had been some noticeable tearing.

"I'm trying to be gentle." Hope assured her. "You sure you're not just being fussy?" and he smirked.

"You sure you want my boot up your backside?" she hissed through a tight jaw.

"Hey, you're the one that refused the local, don't put that on me." and Hope bit his bottom lip as he pulled the thread through her flesh. "I'm almost finished."

She took a calming breath, wincing slightly, one eye squinting at a pinch of pain. "You know...that makes three times she's almost killed me."

"What...you're not mad about it, are you?"

"Well...no, not entirely."

"I mean, you gotta understand what she's been through..._still_ going through."

"I understand plenty," she grimaced. "Probably better than you."

"Maybe," he nodded, starting to tie a knot. "But you didn't feel what I felt."

And that was very true. She contemplated the fact as he finished up, putting a fresh bandage on it before giving her the okay to put her shirt back down. She slouched, ankles crossing and her elbows propping on her thighs.

"What did you feel?" she asked warily.

Hope was washing his hands off in the sink, some crimson splotches on her fingers. "Well, you could guess most of them. Fear, confusion...she was demanding the truth without knowing what it was...she felt trapped. Her mind was struggling to process it all, and being surrounded by total strangers certainly didn't help matters."

"I guess not." and her eyes were on the floor, contemplative and tightly set.

"But...maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Not that it would change anything if that were the case. Still..." he dried his hands. "I don't think she went after you specifically."

"You're right, that doesn't change anything." she shook her head with an empty chuckle. _Though she might if she ever remembers...shot her multiple times...once in the head...not to mention all the other shit. Gods, I'm so fucked._ "Maybe I should get on the next plane off this rock."

"Why?"

"I don't exactly feel safe." and she gave him a look that screamed _duh_. "I think I'd rather deal with PSICOM."

Hope's optimism flattened, you could see the change in his features. "Give us some credit."

"You're not the ones I'm worried about."

"I know. But I would imagine you could find room in you for a little more patience with her. I mean...you came to _us_, asked for _our_ help, and now you just want to take off? Leave her like this?"

Lightning visibly winced. And though he saw it plain enough, he thought it odd that he didn't catch wind of any fresh emotions with it. Just mild guilt and frustration, but that had been from the get-go.

"Although, if that's what you really want," he shrugged, "I can get a plane out here tomorrow morning." And he waited for her answer, perhaps a minute or two. And when he received none, he put his hands in his pockets. "Why don't you sleep on it? If you still want to go, I can get you to the mainland tomorrow afternoon."

"Fair enough."

"You're _sure_ you don't want something for the pain?"

"No. I say I've earned it."

Hope deflated. "Back to the self-flagellation...yeah, you're fine." and he shook his head, crossing the infirmary floor to his desk, slumping into the chair.

Lightning slid cautiously from the table, listening to the click-clack of keystrokes. Out of curiosity that she couldn't quite ignore she went to stand behind him. Her brow furrowed, slightly confused. "Is that the surveillance network?"

"Yeah, just for this wing though. Just wanted to check in, I asked Vanille to take Fang some food." he kept clicking the mouse. "Speaking of which, you hungry?"

She gawked at the back of his head. "Should she be in there by herself?" Lightning didn't care if the girl was telekinetic. She was just as soft and squishy as everyone else.

"She'll be fine. She's the least threatening out of all of us, not to mention she has the best people skills. Did you know Vanille used to work with kids?"

"How the hell is that supposed to translate?"

"Think about it; children are often temperamental, easily confused," and all this he said as if he'd rehearsed it. "Sometimes all they need is someone to talk to, someone who can be their friend without having to know their dirty little secrets."

_Damn. I could use one of those._

"Here we are. See, just fine."

And Lightning would admit to her own surprise. She could see the two L'Cie on the monitor, Fang clothed in a NORA navy and bronze hoodie and sweatpants, no violent movements or flashing claws, though they were still unsheathed. The two sat on the bed, maybe a foot apart, and it appeared like Vanille was doing all the talking.

_(–)_

Fang didn't know what to make of her, her smiles and squeaky giggle. What to make of how friendly she was trying to be. So she just sat and listened, tight postured with her legs crossed, hands tucked under her arms and claws slanting towards the wall behind her. She listened, more so let her talk as her mind wasn't really there, her thoughts just went on their own. The girl's words were more akin to static. Food sat patiently on a tray in front of her, you know the ones made from molded plastic you'd be likely to remember from grade school. It smelled good, and she was still very hungry, but...

"So where are you from?"

_Still tryin' to remember...been livin' out of a truck for years now...my brain's burnin'._

"Come on...you can talk to me."

_Don't really wanna. Got nothin' to talk about. Don't know ya._

"...At least eat something. I'll admit it's kinda salty, but that's because Gadot cooks and he needs a lot of salt in his diet."

"I like salty food." _Though I'd like it a little more if my paddles weren't all bollixed._ She still couldn't get the damn things to go back in.

Vanille's expression brightened. "Then I suppose it'll be just right for you."

Eventually hunger won out over Fang's peculiar brand of embarrassment, her arms untwisting and allowing her hands to rest on her knees. She could feel the girl staring at them, the claws as they shimmered in the light. She couldn't help but to linger on them too. They were a part of her yet, at the same time, alien.

"Is that part of your mutation?" she asked innocently.

Fang exhaled. "Is now."

"Can't you pull them back?"

She shook her head, still looking down and watching her fingers curl slowly. "Don't know how they popped out in the first place."

Vanille's brows lifted, her brow creasing, contemplative. "Can I see?"

Confusion building, without a vocalized response, Fang only watched as the girl reached out and took her hand, seemingly studying it.

"Somethin' wrong with your paws too?"

"Hm?"

"The gloves."

"Oh, that," she smiled, somewhat bashful. "I can see the past of things and people I touch. No offense, but I don't think I'd care too much to see where these have been."

"None taken." Fang almost smirked. "Don't like the sound of it myself...what is it?" she saw the young girl frown slightly.

"You're so tense." came her honest reply. "Maybe that's what's wrong." Feeling the muscles, the way the tendons rose hard against Fang's skin, they were tight as a drum.

"Well," her expression quirked, "can't exactly relax...bein' a stranger in a strange place."

"But you're safe here."

"So I've heard. I've just," she paused, searching for the words. "I've got a lot goin' on."

The redhead's eyes dimmed a little."...It's scary isn't it?"

"You'd know?"

"Well...I suppose. My powers surfaced a little late," she shied away, her hands folding into her lap, maybe looking for the right way to relay it. "I used to work as an assistant at an elementary school. I love kids. But one day, it started just like any other, I went to work and...the kids were coming in from recess early because it had started raining. I just happened to put a hand on one of them..." her tender brow knitted tightly, a sort of sadness coming over her. "They'd been abused...it hit me like a freight train, all at once...and I just couldn't get it out of my head. I was terrified."

"I'd imagine so. What happened to the kid?"

"Everything turned out okay. But, well, I lost my job, got evicted...that sort of stuff."

"No good deed goin' unpunished, huh?" a sarcastic laugh. "But that's life, eh?"

"Still sucks."

"True." another chuckle. Fang unconsciously flexed her fingers, stretching them. The claws slid back a little, enough for both of them to notice. Stretching the digits a little further out concealed them completely, allowing her to feel the new muscles pulling. There was a dull pinch of pain, but no blood. Fang rubbed her knuckles, touching the terminals for the first time. She still didn't like it, but at least now she could eat.

"Maybe later I could show you around, introduce you to everybody."

"Could I get a bath first?" Fang inquired with a mouth half full. "I'm all for gettin' chummy and everythin', but I'd rather make my first impression not smellin' like a mutt."

"Oh...I didn't want to say anything."

She swallowed, smiling. "No harm done. I know I'm not exactly...presentable. What'd ya say your name was again?"

"Vanille."

"Where ya from?"

Her face scrunched though she still smiled. "I asked you first."

"Fair enough." Fang nodded. "Ever been to a place called Oerba?"

"I used to live near there." about an hour or so away in a town called Flowering Branch. "I thought your accent sounded familiar."

"I grew up on the reservation there."

Vanille's face lit up again, the girl suddenly getting so excited. "You're from one of those native clans, aren't you?" she saw Fang nod and took a deep breath, trying to bridle her enthusiasm. "I did a report on them in high school! Which one are you from?"

"Yun."

Another giddy squeak. "Tell me what it was like."

_(–)_

They couldn't hear anything, but both Hope and Lightning noticed a positive change occur. At the very least Fang's body language had significantly softened.

"It's a good sign." Hope nodded, turning his head to see if Light would react at all.

"Guess so. Nice to know PSICOM didn't burn her brains out." though she had so much evidence to suggest they had.

"Although Moira and I have been looking into it more extensively, and we have reason to believe the experiments may have had some lasting effects -aside from the obvious. Mostly behavioral issues. Things I'm sure you've noticed."

No response.

"We're hoping she'll let us do an MRI. Help us rule anything out."

"Good luck with that." Personally, Lightning didn't see that happening any time soon, not in their lifetime. She crossed her arms and cocked her hip. "Wouldn't be surprised if she goes ape shit again just from seeing MacTaggart in her lab coat."

One platinum brow raised. "You think she would?"

"I'm just thinking out loud. All benefits of the doubt aside, right now I don't think you could be too careful."

Then he frowned, sighing as he looked back at the monitor. "I don't want to treat her like a threat...like an animal."

"For the time being you may not have any choice. Are you willing to risk everyone's safety over your conscience?"

After a moment without being able to accumulate a respectable answer, by his standards or hers, he looked back at her. "You know...I could ask you the same thing."

Lightning's face scrunched, put off as well as curious.

"You put my team and I at risk for _your_ conscience, didn't you? I mean," he adjusted himself in the chair, leaning forward and turning towards her. "You seem to be making it pretty clear that you don't much care about her. So the only logical explanation as to why you went through all the trouble is...just so _you_ could feel better. Awful hypocritical."

Her grimace tightened a little more, but just a little. The remainder of her reaction would've been visible in her stomach, her biceps as the muscles bunched. She hated it when people called her hypocrite. Hated it because of how true it was. He was right, and it hurt.

"Or have you not been entirely honest with us?"

Without missing a beat, but with her eyes low and away, "I told you everything you needed to know."

Hope said nothing for a long while, even as Lightning seemed to grow tired of his company and left the infirmary, a fresh limp in her gait. He didn't say anything because he knew.

He knew she was lying.

Author's Notes: Yeah, weird place to stop, but it seemed right. Now, it may be a while before I update again as I have some serious brainstorming to do. I basically have the entire plot summed up in my head, now I just need to decide what order everything gets written, what events occur when and so on-so forth. I have all the major plot points, but not all of the fluff. And by fluff I mean filler, the actual "fluff" I've got brewing as we speak, and it's gonna be...sexy. I hope. Sexy isn't exactly my forte, but I'll give it the old college try. Thanks readers for your support, love ya!


	7. Chapter 6

**XIII**

**Chapter Six**

The shower Fang had been wanting would have to wait. After the tray full of food, and when Vanille finally ran out of things to say (gods bless her), she decided a big fat nap was a higher priority than a bath. She was just...weary, heavy feeling in more ways than one. Just needed time alone. Just some...quiet. Once she was alone she pulled the pillow over her head, lying on her side, and her body tightened up into as small a mass as it physically could.

She fell asleep that way, slept hard, and she dreamed.

The dreams started slowly, gradually sinking into focus, but once they began they didn't stop. And they were intense, more so like memories than just manifestations of one's stray thoughts let loose by the once custodial mind's restraints lessened by slumber. Like she had been there, part of her knowing exactly what was happening, what was _going_ to happen as the images flickered passed like frames of film.

_Snow. Ankle deep, in some places to the knee and shocking cold. Legs pumping, knees kicking high to make the next step, dodging the heavy shadows of trees in near darkness. The smell of the mountain, the chilled air, snow falling, the pounding of blood in her veins. Blood on her hands. The sounds of footsteps close behind. Chasing. Pursuing. Why?_

Hunting you. She was hunting you.

_ Dawn breaks down in the valley, the snow stills and the sky clears. Some sort of machine whirrs as it hovers overhead. Claws cut it easily. Climbing the pine tree, scratch of bark and sticking sap on her knuckles while the claws aid her ascent. Still, quiet, watching and waiting. Something moved below. Pink hair, the smell of sweat._

You know that scent. Somewhere.

_ A rifle. The safety clicks off. Its loaded._

Can't let her catch you.

_ No. Gotta stay free. Falling, aiming to kill. Claws out. Blurring movements of chase and evasion, the sound of firing ballistics. Sh-PING, chest pain, still moving, lunge, slicing into flesh. Scent of blood thicker. The hume's limping, then turns, sidearm in hand. BLAM. Sh-Ping. Headache. Still moving._

You had to stop her. She would've put you back to sleep.

_On the hume's back, looking through the fog of heavy exhales at the back of her head. She's reaching for something. Moving without thinking, hear her scream. The claws are in her._

Finish it. Put her down.

_ Get hit by something heavy, moving fast, flying through the air and stopping in a drift of freezing snow. Metal skin shimmers in the light. Some kind of giant. Fight him tooth and nail, have to, no other choice. Can't cut him. Still put him on the ground. There's another one, unfamiliar, silver hair._

You're surrounded. Run. Fight your way out.

_Gotta fight. Lash out, certain to hit the target, but catch nothing but air. Turn, there he is, on his back. Twist to gut him, can't move. Feeling something touching that isn't really there. Another one, red hair, they're holding on tight. Can't move my arms. Gotta keep pushing back. Push-push-_push_..._

They're going to catch you.

_Something's on my back, arms and legs cinched about me. Feel something like a bee sting on my leg. Then everything starts tingling. Can't feel my arms, body heavy and slow. Gotta pull him off...gotta keep moving. Hit the ground. Can't stay awake..._

There was a slight startle to her waking, her body jerking as if she'd scared herself a little. The pillow slid away as she straightened, sitting up and looking about to find herself where she last remembered being. Fang rubbed her face with her hands, feeling a slight scratch on her cheeks from the terminals between her fingers. She wandered out of the room shortly after, mostly to stretch her legs and get a look around. By pure chance she found herself in the observatory, going unnoticed for several minutes as she stood in the doorway, watching the goings on, seeing more strangers with strange scents. Looking out the bay windows she found the view diffused with heavy rainfall. She could hear the winds outside whistling, whipping about as the storm passed over the tiny island. A flash of light, a peal of thunder.

Fang jumped a little, feeling something touch her shoulder.

"You lost?"

"Ah, no, kiddo." she chuckled a little, looking down at the redhead. "Just wanderin'."

Vanille smiled. "Can I show you around?"

"Actually, I'm lookin' for a shower."

"Well, I can say that you were on the right track. The living area is just the next corridor down. I'll walk with you."

Fang didn't exactly have the heart, nor the a valid enough excuse to tell her no. Though you can imagine her mild discomfort, like this kid was some kind of stalker. While she would ponder the idea rather extensively as they walked together, even as she undressed in the privacy of the spacious washroom, they would quickly dissipate as the hot water surged outward and splashed against her skin. Like they never were. Damn, that felt good.

Instead she would consider the dream, if it was even a dream, which she had the distinct notion that it wasn't. It was too detailed, too vivid. But had it been real? Could she have really gone traipsing through the snow in the nothing, slicing people up like that?

Covered in _blood_.

Supposing it was indeed a recalled memory, what were all these strangers doing in the dream? Still she didn't know them from Adam, but there they were.

She let the hot water wash over the top of her head, her hair -which she finally realized had become much too long- soaked in seconds and falling heavy around her face. Her palms held her weight against the off-white tiles.

_What's happened to me...there's gotta be more to it than my fancy manicure...and what about that pink haired broad..._

How was she connected? Why was her scent familiar? Why had she been hunting her in the dream? How could Fang possibly know she had been hunting her at all?

_Well, she had a gun...supposedly...and dad didn't raise an idiot. _

So many questions...and a part of her whimpered, protesting against the need to know. Perhaps not ready to face it yet.

_Give it a little more time._

Yeah, maybe that would help. And at that, she could let go of it for a while. Long enough to enjoy the shower at least. She felt noticeably better afterwards, felt refreshed, human again to some degree. She dried off as thoroughly as she cared to, pulled the borrowed clothing back on, and stepped back into the hallway, a towel still about the back of her neck. Vanille was still there, having waited.

"Thought you'd want to join us for dinner." then she shied, perhaps realizing how forward she must've sounded. "Though, if you don't, that's okay,"

"No, no, it's fine."

Vanille giggled a little. "You must think me a real creeper."

"Nah," Fang shook her head as the two began to walk. "Guess I'm just not used to the...generosity."

"Well, we don't get visitors very often. It's kind of a big deal."

"I can see. And ya don't get much stranger than me."

"I don't think you're all _that_ bad."

"Good to know."

The commissary wasn't a large place. Just big enough for a dinning area sufficient for the some twenty staff members of the facility, technicians, scientists, assistants of no remark, and the kitchen that housed a five man crew. Though, taking those kinds of numbers into account, it was easy to imagine the place being packed once the usual meal times came about, a time such as this.

"You can go ahead and sit if you want," Vanille offered, her voice raised over the nearly overwhelming noise of idle conversation.

Fang only nodded, her hands in the pockets of the hoodie as she searched for an empty chair. Empty chair, empty table, perfect. Her feet moved quicker than she consciously meant them to, though she became of aware of the suspicion of eyes on her. Blamed the hurry on it. She settled into the chair that was between the table and the wall, finding security in that she could see the entirety of the room. It was a habit. She never liked sitting with her back to a door. However she still felt like people were staring, felt like everybody there, all of them total strangers, was in on her secret.

_Let's all look at the freak._

She kind of got lost in her own fears for a moment, not too deeply mind you, but just enough to be surprised when Vanille sat down, pushing a tray in front of her. She jumped a little.

"You okay?" the post-cognitive had seen the flinch.

"Um, yeah, fine." Fang shook her head, smirking. Then she looked down at the food before her, her brows raising. "That's a shitload of gravy."

"I know." Vanille whimpered a little, prodding her own hamburger steak with her fork. "I'm going to get so fat..."

"I think I'm in love," she chuckled. "I'm serious, who's the chef? I wanna have their kids,"

Vanille laughed, her hand over her mouth to dampen the sound. "You must be starving," she managed after catching her breath.

"There's that," Fang thought about it, her eyes to the ceiling briefly. "Now all I need is a cold beer and I'm sittin' pretty."

"We've got scotch,"

"Hey Lebreau, why don't you sit with us?"

"Don't mind if I do. The guys will be along in a minute, hope you don't mind the invasion."

Fang looked the woman up and down, deciding quickly and with firm confidence that she would totally tap that. Tap, slap, spank. Whichever, no need to be picky. Fang watched her sit like a predator would watch its next meal, not that she did so intentionally. Sometimes you just get caught up in these things.

"Friend o' yours?"

Vanille saw the look on Fang's face. "Oh yeah, Lebreau, this is Fang."

Lebreau tucked a stray tress of raven hair behind her ear as she settled in a chair. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Oh, ya been waitin'?" she chuckled. "I'd shake yer hand if I wasn't scared of nickin' a vein."

Lebreau's face shifted with curiosity. "So it's true?"

"What?"

"The claws?"

Vanille just managed to see how Fang shrank slightly, her blooming confidence fading.

"Yeah." Fang cleared her throat. "Now what's this I hear about scotch?"

Lebreau nodded. "You want a shot glass or a straw?"

"My gods, it's like ya know me already. How'd ya guess?"

"Anyone that looks as tired as you only reaches for two things: liquor and the snooze button."

And it was somewhere in the middle of the ensuing laughter at the joke -which was completely true- that the rest of the NORA team, Serah excluded, seemed to materialize out of nowhere and began vying for places to sit. Each of them introduced themselves in turn, and it was no time at all for the lot to start talking with such ease that one would think they had been friends for years. Then again, scotch makes talking easy, _very_ easy. Especially for Fang. She had to drink more than most to get there, but that was more of a friendly challenge than a bother.

A couple of hours passed in what seemed like just a blink, and no one noticed it until Maqui yawned, standing up from his chair and announcing he was going to bed. Yuj was next, looking like he could sleep for a week after the days he had spent with headphones on, just listening. Gadot was third, though he didn't retire and instead stepped back into the kitchen area, claiming he needed to help them clean up. That left Fang, Vanille, Hope, Snow, and Lebreau at the table. Though Snow didn't seem like he would be around much longer, his head nodding from time to time.

Though, now with the younger folks out of earshot, Fang forced herself to address the questions burning the back of her mind, thinking someone at this table could answer them. A couple of them at least. She broached the subject with all the grace and subtlety she was known for, which is to say very little.

"Tell me more about these PSICOM twats,"

Hope took the sudden question with a mote of surprise on his face. His cheeks were red now so he wasn't entirely there so to speak. "Well, it stands for Public Security and Intelligence Command. And for people like us they're what goes bump in the night."

"What's their beef anyway?"

"Don't know, actually. It's only been for the last couple of decades that they went from hiring L'Cie as agents to using them as guinea pigs."

"Maybe they just got tired of paying them." Lebreau added, sounding somewhat bitter as she pinched a shot glass between her fingers.

"In any case," Hope continued. "They work with anyone and everyone, so long as it suits them, and use anyone they can. I'm convinced most of the world's Anti-L'Cie propaganda comes from them. They're systematically turning everyone against us. Promoting fear."

"And you lot are tryin' to stop 'em?" one of Fang's thin, dusky brows raised.

"As best we can. But it isn't easy. We take what we can get."

Fang nodded slowly, quiet for a moment, thinking. "So what's any of this gotta do with me? I never even heard of these assholes before."

"To be honest, I think you were just unlucky." Hope felt himself flinch at the look she gave him. Sharp, incredulous. "They were looking for a L'Cie of a particular mutation to experiment on, to test a newly developed procedure of bonding metal to the human skeleton."

Fang's green eyes widened, shimmered. Lines formed as her features tightened. "And?"

"Well...I can only assume they found out about _you_ somehow. From what I understand PSICOM has a huge cache of files on possible L'Cies."

She could feel her hands threatening to curl into fists, but she fought it. No need to have _those_ popping out again.

"But...to make a long story short," he took a breath, sensing the emotions roiling in her, "you're entire skeleton is now bonded with a rare metal called adamantium."

_How could I not remember that?_

Fang took a deep breath, lounging back in the chair, trying to keep a grip on things. In all honesty, she wasn't so sure what she was so upset about. The fact that her secret got out somehow, that her life was worth little more than what some dork in a white coat could make of it? It could have been anything at this point. Still so many unanswered questions, unfilled curiosities. She could feel eyes on her again, and didn't much like it.

"So how did you find out about it?" she asked once she felt calm enough to.

"Lightning tipped us off."

Fang's expression quirked in curiosity. "The pink haired broad?"

Hope nodded. "Her sister is part of NORA. Lightning told her about your disappearance and she told us."

"Why?" What would a hume care about her? How did they know each other?

"Well...I have a feeling it's more than what she's telling me, but I think she's trying to make up for something. Ease some guilt."

Another quirk.

"But there was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sure."

"Going through the files from the compound, I've found that through the course of the experiments you were exposed to extremely high doses of radiation. I was wondering if you would be willing to submit to a few tests to see if they had any lasting damage."

"Tests...like what?"

"Nothing too invasive, like a series of MRIs and-,"

Fang started laughing, cutting him off and garnering funny looks from the others. And then, with just as much cheer as she laughed, she replied with a resounding, "No."

"C-can I ask...why?"

Her composure settled in, she looked him dead in the eyes, one eyebrow raised. "Think about it, necktie. Consider what ya just told me, and then remind yourself what the 'M' stands for."

At first he seemed confused, his mouth slightly ajar as if to say something, then his mind clicked and he put his hand to his face. "Oh my god...you're right. Magnetic. Bad idea."

"Yeah, was thinkin' the same thing myself. In fact, magnet is officially a dirty word. So let's talk about somethin' _else_."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. There are other ways" Hope shook his head, raking his scalp at his seemingly vacuous thought. "Still...would you allow us to?"

"Well," Fang thought about it a moment, her hands gently rubbing against each other under the table. "I suppose..."

"Don't think I'm trying to force you. Feel free to tell me no."

"Oh I do," she smirked, and then shrugged. "But if anythin's wrong with me, best to find out about it sooner rather than later." There wasn't much worry on her mind about it, though. It was so unlikely. Best to just humor them, put them at ease if nothing else. Might get her home a little sooner...that is, once she remembered where she parked the truck. "Supposin' you'll want to be doin' all this rather soon,"

"Well, no sooner than is convenient for you. Moira and I have some planning to do anyhow, to get everything ready, cover our bases."

"Who's Moira?"

"She runs the center." he answered quickly, like an afterthought. "Plus, we thought you would like a chance to...adjust."

"Mighty kind of ya." she nodded to him in thanks. "Though I'm likely to bounce back sooner than ya think. Like I said...just wanna go home and get back to bein' invisible."

"Understandable. Until then, though, make yourself at home." he then fished into his pants pocket, where he kept his watch, and checked the time. It wasn't very late, but it _felt_ like it. And if he didn't take something and scurry off to bed soon, he'd be regretting it in the morning.

"Expect me to be pickin' ya brain some more later, necktie." Fang said as she watched him stand, the legs of the chair screeching against the floor as it slid back. She still had at least a dozen more questions, but they could wait a spell.

"So...now what? We've still got half a bottle of scotch left," Lebreau waited until Hope left to speak.

"Correction, we have _two_ and a half bottles of scotch left." Gadot announced as he lumbered into sight from the kitchen. There was an unopened bottle of the amber liquor in both of his very large hands.

"I'm out," Vanille threw up her hands as she stood.

"Oh come on, stay for the fun," Lebreau was snickering.

"No, last time I couldn't stop puking and _you_ guys couldn't stop laughing. Fool me once, shame on you,"

"I'm gonna take a rain check on this too," Snow shook his head, seeming to hate to cut and run. "Serah doesn't like it when I smell like hooch."

"Oh well, more for us," Gadot chuckled, pulling out a chair with a push of his foot. "All right, last one to puke or pass out wins."

Fang grinned ear to ear. _Guess bein' here won't be so bad after all._

_(II)_

Caius sat with his massive arms crossed, muscles bulging as his the tips of his talons drummed against a bicep. Six was next to him, or Reflux as some called her. He had never asked for her real name, never cared enough to, and hadn't liked her smell from the moment they met. She was young, perhaps twenty-something by now, impetuous, and had all the sense the gods gave a rock. Though he would admit that she made up for that last shortcoming with an overabundance of cunning and apathy. Not enough to worry _him_, of course, but enough to worry any hume and plenty of other L'Cie. Perhaps, he wondered, that is what kept her employed.

Reflux was a stable looking young woman, somewhat muscled, in tattered clothes, the midriff of her t-shirt torn out, still leaving the graphic of a hand flipping the bird intact. The sleeves were ripped off as well, her arms decorated with sleeves of tattoos of varying images and colors. Leather gloves with the index and pinkie fingers cut out covered her hands. Olive fatigues with holes in the knees hung baggy about her legs, covering steel-toed, scuffed combat boots that were laced only halfway. Her hair was short, just passing her ears, flared at the ends, and dyed an unnatural shade of crimson. Dark shadows were painted about her eyes, making them seem larger, more intense, almost catlike. A silver ring pierced the middle of her bottom lip, standing out against the sable lipstick. It matched the dozen more she had in her ears.

Now, with all that's been said thus far, particularly that of Caius' discontent regarding her, surely you're wondering why on earth he's bothering to tolerate her presence. And in a dump like this? It was simple really. They had a job to do, and seeing as they had to do so together, they would have to receive their orders in the same fashion. Whether they liked it or not. The pair had been waiting for the better half of ten minutes, waiting for the call that they had been assured would come today. Without even noticing, they were both staring at the phone sitting in the middle of the table before them, waiting.

Finally it buzzed.

Reflux pressed the button, putting the call on speaker phone. "What's shakin' shitface?"

An audible shrug came over the line. _"Six...is Twelve with you?"_ It was Jihl's voice.

"Kitty's here."

_"Good. We've managed to reach One, and though he's still in the field, he's aware of the situation thus far."_

"Then get with it, grandma, some of us got important shit to do." Reflux lounged back in her chair, propping her feet on the table with a heavy _thump_.

Another shrug. _"The investigation into the evidence found in the area of the Aggra compound has roused suspicion of a possible double agent within the facility."_

Caius grinned subtly. That evidence was all of the blood and the destroyed satellite that he discovered in the valley.

_"Not to mention the likelihood of NORA's involvement."_

Reflux chuckled. "Those jackasses? Really?" It was more rhetorical than an actually inquiry. She knew damn good and well that when one of PSICOM's little projects went awry, NORA was the first thing they suspected.

_"With that being said, we can only assume that Thirteen is in their possession. And if she's still alive, Commander Farron is as well."_

Caius sniffed quietly. He had found a great deal of the security commander's blood in the valley, enough to have been near fatal, surely. But he would admit to the possibility that she _could've_ survived.

"So what do you want us to do? Just sit here?"

_"For the time being you're all on stand-by. Once we have a positive visual on any of NORA's members, you'll be activated and put in pursuit."_

"Yippee." Reflux huffed.

"And if NORA _isn't_ harboring Thirteen?" Caius finally spoke.

_"Agents are already in place to watch the area where she was acquired should she manage to find her way back. Which is supposedly likely. As it stands everything that can be done is being done. The rest is waiting."_

Caius went quiet again. Reflux rolled her eyes. "Christ, anything else? Anything genuinely _useful_?"

_"That's all for now. We'll update you on any developments as they come about."_

Reflux stuck out her tongue with a grumble as she stretched and ended the conversation with a hard prod of the proper button. That is when Caius stood, meaning to exit the room.

"Well, it's just the two of us, kitty."

He didn't stop his slow pace, seeming to ignore her entirely.

"Couldn't we have some fun together?"

And the question garnered from him a clear, audible snarl of disgust.

_(III)_

Lightning didn't sleep a wink. Tried. Failed miserably. Through the night she sat on the bed, crossed legged, gathered inward, her persistent thoughts interrupted occasionally by the throbbing in her side. Moira had given her pills for the pain, but the little orange bottle was still in her pocket, untouched. Part of her was convinced she deserved it, hadn't earned the right to soothe it, so she let it be. Tight faced, tired eyed, she resumed her mental argument with herself.

_Go home. You don't need to stay._

_ "But Hope was right. I shouldn't just take off."_

_ Who says? It's your life, right?_

_ "It's not just about me anymore."_

_But it's _always_ been about you. Why change now?_

She raked her scalp, took deep breaths, clenched her jaw.

Suppose you could sum up the issue with fighting what is right with what is natural. What is perceived as _normal_. Lightning had never been good friends with change, her entire life a series of slow adaptations and uneasy adjustments. This was no different, with the exception being the time frame. Her entire mindset was trying to turn itself completely backwards in the course of but a few weeks. Since she found out Fang was L'Cie.

_And to think everything changed, L'Cie are suddenly _people_ just because you-,_

_ "I _know_."_ She couldn't even bare to say it in her head.

_You're such a hypocrite. _

_ "Yeah."_

_ So you're not going to tell them the truth?_

_ "What would it change?"_

_ Fang deserves to know._

There was a bitter taste in her mouth, a hard grimace darkening her features. She was feeling sick to her stomach.

_"She wouldn't believe me. Or worse."_

_True. But that's never stopped you._

_"She has no reason to trust me. Besides...there's a chance she could remember. If that's the case...I need to get off this rock."_

_ That's what I've been saying this whole time. And what about PSICOM?_

_ "Easier dealing with them. Could just tell them I lost her in the snow. Got wounds to support it."_

_ They'll find you out eventually. Then what? You up for getting you brains blown out in your own backyard? Your sister's too, probably..._

Her heart jerked. Shit. That was true.

_Sounds like it's best to stay here for a spell yet. I think eating crow would be a helluva lot easier than eating a bullet._

Gods damn logic. Damn it to hell.

But it was shortly after sunrise when this bittersweet conclusion came about, so she saw little point in trying to sleep at that point. Instead she decided that coffee was in order, and went in search of it with a stiffened limp to her gait. Still no shoes. Hadn't had them on since she got here, which was going on five days now. She would continue to ponder the issue as she ambled down the corridors, alongside trying to remember where the commissary was. But it wasn't all that hard to find as even a hume has a sense of smell potent enough to sniff out breakfast. And part of her was relieved to find the place practically empty, save for the kitchen staff and a couple of maintenance workers. Her eyes fixed on the table laid out with breakfast pastries and doughnuts, situated right beside a selection of drinks. Milk, juice, coffee alongside with that purposeless crime against God-art and nature, decaf.

And while the entire room smelled to the ceiling of delightful breakfast fare, Lightning wasn't sure she had the stomach to eat. So coffee would just have to suffice. She approached the stack of styrofoam cups near the urn. She filled it just a little, an ounce or two, and drank it in one gulp. A hot shiver as it splashed into her stomach. Oh yeah, that's the stuff. Then she filled it to the brim. Another few sips and she found her appetite, snatching a danish from the table before finding a seat.

She was thankful for the few minutes of peace.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

Her head jerked on her neck, looking left and then right to spot Gadot's looming figure. "It's a free world." and then bounced her shoulders once as she looked away. Trying to be subtle about it she watched him sit across from her, finding a mote of surprise to see him in clothes you'd be more likely to see on a professional cook. White, pressed jacket, ugly pants, slip resistant shoes. Although she couldn't conceal her amazement at the spread on his tray. It was outrageous. Huge. A meal for five or more. How it all fit, stacked up like it was on the tray, she was equally curious as to how it hadn't toppled to the floor on his way to the table. Link sausage, pancakes stacked easily ten high, a pile of scrambled eggs, toast...gods, where did he put it all?

Gadot was about to take his first monstrous bite when he noticed the look Lightning had on her face. It was a flat expression for the most part, but her eyes were set too wide to lie. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"High metabolism." he said simply.

"High cholesterol too, I bet." she shook her head slightly, disbelieving.

"You'd think." another chuckle. But, in truth, his blood work was damn near immaculate. "Hadn't seen you in a while, good to know you're all right."

"Um...thanks."

He took the time to swallow, one of his hands gesturing. "I don't mean to get creepy. Just kind of in the habit of being everyone's big brother around here. Not that I think you need one."

"It's all right. I think I get it." being an elder sibling herself. "Though...I appreciate the concern." as awkward as it felt to receive.

He nodded and went back to his plate. The silence dragged on for a long while, Lightning feeling a strange nagging to continue the idle conversation. But why? What did they have to talk about anyway?

He swallowed again, a huge lump in his throat for half a second. "Did you want something else? Something hot?" he asked, pointing to the measly remnants of her danish.

"No, I'm fine, just not feeling very hungry. No offense."

"None taken. You look like you've got a lot on your mind."

_You don't know the half of it._

"But I figured you'd be back on the mainland by now."

_Yeah, true._ "Still debating it. Don't know why though."

"Well...can't imagine things being very safe. You know, PSICOM."

"They probably think I'm dead."

"You can hope, right?" he chuckled again. "The danish okay?"

"Huh? Oh...yeah, it's fine." funny thing to ask about so suddenly.

"Maybe I've finally got the recipe right."

"You made this? All of it?"

Gadot nodded, his mouth was full so it wouldn't have been very polite for him to respond verbally. He waited to swallow. "Mom taught me before she died. Stroke."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "Well...if she was still around, I'd still be hiding at home. At least here I'm doing some good."

Lightning only nodded. She had a hard time imagining someone as big as him holed up in a basement, hiding from the world. His tusks weren't all that noticeable...though he was built much bigger than average. Enough so to be likely to raise suspicion.

"How did you get here anyway? Can't imagine a group like NORA advertising in the classifieds."

Gadot had to swallow again before answering, and he laughed a little. "Not quite. A lot of us were approached by the boss. Lebreau and I were working at the same bar when he found us. We didn't have anything better, so we took the offer. Speaking of which," he sipped his own coffee briefly, "the boss is due in sometime today. Word's going around that he wants to meet you. Fang too."

Her brows raised, her back straightening. "Damn. Big deal."

"Actually, yeah, it kind of is. He doesn't come out here for just anybody."

And she would ponder the idea for a time, coming onto the suspicion that she might have gotten herself in over her head this time.

Author's Note: This chapter was very touch and go. I think my writer's block is trying to elbow its way in. That, and it's been bat shit crazy at work this week, so I haven't really had the time I've wanted to work on it. I'm going to try to move the plot along in the next chapter, at the very least get in some more of Fang's story, put more of the pieces together. As for Lightning, she's still got a lot of guilt to swallow, lots of demons. And you'll likely get to meet most of them. Hope you're still enjoying it so far, as lackluster as it is right now. Thanks to the readers, you guys rock!


	8. Chapter 7

**XIII**

**Chapter Seven**

Fang didn't know what to make of Moira, not right away, and was convinced she'd never met a woman quite like her. Her scent was subtle, her movements very direct and somewhat restrained, and her face seemed to be permanently set in a studious way, focusing through her glasses. Fang had yet to decide if she liked or disliked her.

Though she was thoroughly adamant about her dislike of all these gods-be-damned tests. All these "hold still" or "just once more" and "this won' hurt". And all the fucking questions, one after another. She'd had to listen to it all morning, and she was damn near sick of it. Who cares if this geneticist had a sexy accent? Fang was fed up.

Fang shrugged hard as she sat up, having just finished with what she was told would be the last series of CT scans. She put her hands in the pockets of the hoodie. "M'ai done yet?"

"Another moment, if ya please."

"And if I don't?"

"It won' take long."

Fang felt her jaw tighten, teeth creaking, but she did as Moira asked all the same. With her eyes on the floor she just listened, hearing Moira's heels clicking on the floor as she moved about the room. Eventually she came to stand beside Fang.

"Could ya roll up your sleeve, please?"

Fang turned her head, eyes focusing on a silvery glint. "You plan on stickin' that somewhere?"

Moira was preparing a phial to collect a blood sample, she didn't look up, though one crimson brow arched. "Have ya always been so easily agitated?"

With a quiet snort she pushed a sleeve up, still not so happy to do as she was asked. "Since I grew into my lady bits, yeah. Even if I hadn't, can't say I'd care too much for all this pokin' anyhow."

"Ya dinnae have ta go through with this. Ya had a choice." she sterilized the skin just where the forearm and elbow met.

"Didn't think ya'd put me through the wringer on my first day. Was hopin' you'd be nice to me."

"I thought ta get it all done in one visit. Save ya some time."

"Hmph." And then Fang was quiet, wincing when Moira stuck her. True, she'd agreed to all this. Though she never agreed to enjoy it. She could feel her heart rate going up, her blood pressure, her jaw tightened that much more. Her toes curled in the air, her feet dangling inches from the floor. Her features slowly tightened, lines forming around her eyes and mouth. You ever felt like you just needed to..._bite_ something?

"Just once more,"

A small growl was the response she received. "The hell are ya testin' for anyhow?"

"I want ta create a full DNA profile. Ya know, while I was at it."

"Awful curious, doc."

"Not ta yer detriment, I assure ya. The more I understand, the more help I can be." finally her eyes lifted and she adjusted her glasses per her habit. "There. Done. Ya can go now if ya like."

"What, no lolly?"

"I'm reservin' those for my less temperamental patients." Moira almost chuckled as she walked towards her desk with her precious samples. "Now be off with ya, lessin' ya be wantin' a spinal tap as well."

"Yeah, I don't think I like the sound o' that." and she promptly slid off the table and headed for the door, never mind that she hadn't a clue what a spinal tap was. Sounded painful, and she liked her spine right where it was, thanks all the same. "See ya later, doc. Don't be too curious." And still somewhat cranky, shoulders high, she left the labs, exiting into one of the main corridors. She would find Lebreau there, casually pacing.

"Well hello there, gorgeous," Fang smirked, seemingly to instantly relax. "Ya come here often?"

Lebreau chuckled. "I live here."

"Fancy that." she nodded, amused. "Now don't say you've been standin' out here waitin' on me?"

They started to walk together, side by side. "Well, I thought you could use the emotional support after MacTaggart got finished with you."

Fang shook her head, "That woman is somethin' else. Scary."

"She's not so bad once you get used to her. She's just...she lives to work, you know?"

"Suppose. So what's on the agenda today? Anythin'?"

"Actually, yeah. Pretty exciting stuff, the big boss is arriving in a couple of hours. And from what I've heard he wants to talk to _you_."

"Careful, you're makin' me blush. So who is this guy? Do I know him?"

"You might recognize him, he's been on TV before."

"Doubtful. Don't watch too much of it."

"Well, in any case, I figured you'd want to know." Lebreau shrugged her shoulders. "Care to get some lunch before he gets here?"

"Oh baby, you know what I like." Moira had asked her not eat anything before coming in that morning, you know, for the blood work. "'specially if you're keepin' me company."

"Would you be too put off if Gadot sat with us?"

Fang felt her innards flinch. Like a bombshell in her gut. "Oh, I get it. You an' him?"

"What? No, no, it's not like that." Lebreau giggled. "We're close just...not _that_ close. Since we met he's just...always looked out for me, you know? Took care of me."

"Must be nice." Fang honestly didn't know what it was like to have someone like that, someone who had your back, picked you up when you hit the floor face first. Yeah, must've been real nice.

"That and...I don't really..._do_ guys anymore."

"Anymore?" a dusky brow shot up as she looked at her, head turning in a sudden jerk.

"Yeah." Lebreau took a deep breath, letting it out steadily. "I met Gadot at a club in Sanctum. One of the few places that didn't mind hiring you even if you were...different. He was a bouncer and I...was one of the dancers. So...making a long story short...I got tired of guys after that."

Fang nodded, only able to imagine. Lebreau was pretty, damn beautiful really, and that was likely to get her plenty of unwanted attention from all the wrong people in that business. And with her particular...talents, gods only knew what kind of a crowd that drew.

"I'm assumin' the big guy knows all this?"

"Yeah. He understands. Still...he likes it when I give him attention. Says it gives him a hope."

"What, that he'll be the big brother of every lesbian on Pulse?"

Lebreau chuckled. "Not exactly. More along the lines of...if I can love and accept him -and _I'm_ gay- then maybe there's a straight girl out there who could too."

"I see. Well then, with all that bein' said, I don't see why the big fella can't stuff his face with us."

_(–)_

Technology is a marvel. With the exception of the blood work, a majority of the machines in the lab were directly connected to Moira's desktop computer. She wasted no time in beginning to carefully study all of the data, all of the frames from the CT scans taken that morning. Auburn eyes moved systematically behind rectangle lenses, occasionally pausing. Without having to look away her hand moved with a pen, scrawling notes in the geneticist's peculiar form of short hand. At first glance, she didn't notice anything awry. The digital recreations of Fang's brain seemed perfectly normal. But that didn't make enough sense to Moira. Her gut was telling her something was _off_, and that something was staring her right in the face. She just needed to _see_ it.

When it didn't jump out and bite her like she expected it to, Moira moved on to the other images that had been captured by the various scans she had conducted. She couldn't deny the fascination at the x-rays, seeing Fang's skeleton in brilliant, flawless relief, metallic from stem to stern. She shook her head unconsciously, amazed. This...it shouldn't have been possible, certainly not have worked so well. The theory alone must have sounded ludicrous. How did PSICOM accomplish such a...miracle?

And those claws. It felt like she pondered them forever, in a way sort of admiring them. She simply couldn't help herself. And her mind wandered, considering the amazing effort to make them, make them work like they did. It was brilliant, all of it, never mind that it seemed to appeal to the worst in her as a scientist. That part that didn't care about the cost of her curiosity, that part that would've given anything to see the experiment as it happened.

She mentally scolded herself. No good comes from thinking like that. Fang was a human being, cheekiness notwithstanding, and deserved a little more respect.

Moira would whittle away the next hour cycling through the dozens of scans, still stumped as to what could be amiss. She took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes. Perhaps a second opinion was in order. With her eyes closed and her brow knitted she reached out in thought to Yuj, having little confidence in her ability as she didn't use this method of communication often.

And just to be clear, Yuj would answer not because he recognized the sound of her thoughts, but recognized the faint buzzing in the back of his head that constituted them. He would have to focus to actually understand.

_"What can I do for you, doctor?"_

"Could ya have young Mister Esthiem come t'my office at his soonest convenience?" she said aloud, always thinking it helped the reception.

_"I'll page him right away, ma'am."_

Moira would tap her foot, twiddling a pen in her fingers as she waited several minutes for the empath to arrive.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Aye, I do. Would ya be of the mind ta have a gander at these CTs? I know somethin' innae right...mayhaps it's just so small...or mayhaps I'm just lookin' fer somethin' that innae there."

"Well, let's have a look." and hope took a step closer as Moira pushed her chair back. Together they cycled through each set of scans slowly, carefully. Moira would check his expression occasionally, knowing if he saw something odd it would change before he gave away his suspicion with speech.

"You took some profile scans, didn't you?"

"Aye." and she nodded once.

"Oh, here they are."

And Moira watched his face again as his brow knitted thick over his eyes. Then one brow arched after perhaps a minute. "Hmm."

"What?"

"I don't know if you noticed this but...look here," and he pointed with his finger on the monitor screen. "The prefrontal cortex. If I'm not mistaken, which is likely, it's not supposed to be that size."

With a look of surprised Moira straightened, adjusting her glasses as she then leaned closer to the screen. Her brows reached for her hairline. He was right. The area of the brain that acted as the "filter" for one's thoughts, inhibitions, and instincts was misshapen. It looked to have diminished. Shrank.

"That would explain a lot." Hope said with all intended sincerity. "Any way to tell if this development is recent?"

Moira shook her head. "Nae unless she's had previous CTs done. An' I wouldn' know where ta begin lookin' for them."

"Good point. Still...could radiation have done this?"

"It's possible, nae doubt, but only as possible as it bein' part o' her mutation. Do ya see anythin' else?"

"I don't know, that was just the first thing I happened to notice." and he turned back to the screen. Not a minute went by in silence before he gestured again for the geneticists attention. "What about this here?"

Moira squinted. "That's the area o' the hypothalamus. Looks a little...large, doesn't it?"

Hope nodded. "Would that be suspect enough for chemical imbalances to cause severe changes in mood?"

"Oh aye, very suspect."

To make a long story just a tit shorter, the hypothalamus is in control of one's more basic bodily functions such as thirst and blood pressure, but can also include our response to pain and aggressive behavior. To make things simple, just think of it as the Four F's: Fighting, Fleeing, Feeding, and Mating.

"What can be done about it?"

"Won' know until the rest of the tests come back. Even then...things like this can be managed with medication, but there's nae tellin' how her metabolism would process it. It could make things worse."

"I take it you've seen the footage we recovered from the compound?" the wariness in her voice tipped off his suspicion.

Moira nodded slowly, adjusting her glasses in that habitual way. She had seen most of it, and it had given her awful shivers in all the right and wrong ways. She had never seen such unadulterated rage in all her life.

"Well...with that being said, let's look at the worst case scenario."

"Aye."

"What do we do about it? How do we keep everyone safe?"

Moira was quiet for a time, her fingers still twiddling a pen, brow tight in the middle. "I'd have ta do more research. More tests."

"And until then?"

"What other choices do we 'ave?"

Neither could come to a sufficient consensus on the question, not today. Theories went flying back and forth between them, but nothing concrete. This would need more time and serious thought.

Moira took her glasses off entirely, rubbing her eyes. "So I hear the man 'imself is comin' today?"

"The plane just touched down, actually. I was thinking of going to meet him at the strip, wanna come?"

"Suppose I should. Bein' cooped up in 'ere for so long cannae be good for me."

"Never stopped you before."

"Aye." and she chuckled, though slightly.

_(–)_

Lightning wasn't entirely sure what or who to expected as she waited with Serah and the other members of NORA in the observatory, Lebreau and Hope being the only exceptions, though they were surely on their way. As was this "boss" everyone was going on about. For the last ten minutes Serah had been going on and on about how great this guy was, how she would probably like him, as if Lightning need assurance. Lightning wasn't anxious at all, actually. He was just a man, right?

He certainly seemed that way when he first passed through the double doors and entered the observatory. Straight and short black hair, suit, tie, tall and stately, his strides even. He seemed perfectly normal, yet among all of the L'Cie, out of place. But to the contrary, he fit right in, garnering a warm greeting from everyone. And he was closely followed by the missing NORA members as well as Dr. MacTaggart and Fang.

Now Lightning was beginning to feel anxious. I mean...Fang seemed to be doing okay, not likely to want to eviscerate her. She swallowed, now slightly tense. Though she appeared to forget it entirely when the proprietor of this fine establishment addressed her directly.

"Ms. Farron, pleased to finally meet you in person." and he held out his hand.

On the reflex of what was polite she shook his hand, looking at him with a mild curiosity, swearing she had seen him somewhere before. It took only a moment, and then her eyes set a little wider. "Cid Raines? The Minister of L'Cie Affairs?"

"The same." he smiled with a nod. "I was hoping you would recognize me," _Seeing as you tried to kill me once._

Oh gods...he's L'Cie too?

_Yes, actually. In case you haven't realized, I'm a telepath. But don't worry, nobody else knows about our...previous engagement._

Now she just felt outright worried.

"I was wondering if you and Miss Fang would be willing to speak with me in private."

Lightning blinked with a slight jerk of her head, like she was coming back from somewhere distant. "Um...sure, yeah. No problem."

Everyone was watching as the trio left the observatory, all of them wondering what was going to happen next.

Cid stood between Lightning and Fang, having yet to say anything as they entered the corridor. It only really served to make the only hume that much more anxious.

Then Cid took a breath, his hands behind his back as they walked together. "I suppose I'll just skip the niceties and get straight to the point. I would like to offer both of you a job."

Lightning looked at the minister, while Fang chuckled.

"Here?" Lightning asked.

Cid nodded. "You in particular, Ms. Farron. For a hume you have shown exemplary talents, talents that could be a great help for my cause."

"And what_ is_ your cause, Mr. Raines?"

"Like any politician I want to change the world I live in, leave it better than I found it. In particularly, make it safer for people like me."

"Is that registration act part of your cause?"

"Good heavens no." he denied quickly. "Can you imagine who would use that kind of information?"

"PSICOM?" Fang quipped rhetorically.

"Exactly, and they're doing horrible enough things as it is."

Lightning took a moment, a breath. "But... you know my record. Why ask for my help?"

"It's _because _I know your record that I'm asking. You are the best at what you do, and considering the effort you put into helping bring Miss Fang to us, you've given me rather convincing evidence that you're not just a paid gun."

Now if only she could convince herself of that.

"Sounds to me like you're just tryin' to use us." Fang said plainly. "No different than PSICOM, just different motives." then she chuckled. "An' as grateful as I am for the help, I don't take kindly to bein' used." PSICOM found that out the hard way.

"Far from it, I assure you. Feel free to turn me down if you want. If that's your choice, I'll see to it you're taken care of, taken where you need to go. No questions asked."

"Though I'm willin' to guess you'll keep an eye on us?"

"Only enough to keep you safe. I'll admit rather selfishly that if you won't work for me, I'd certainly rather you not for anyone else either."

"An' if we agree? What's in it for us?"

Cid smiled a little. "You'd be more than welcome to make a permanent residence here on the island, everything will be taken care of alongside a moderate monthly allowance in exchange for your service. Protection for your family, if necessary, and if ever there comes a time that you no longer wish to be a part of NORA, you're free to go."

"Sounds too good to be true to me." Fang crossed her arms.

"I would imagine so. After everything you went through," he paused, perhaps thinking it over, "I bet all you were hoping for was to come out with your pants on."

"Yup, but we all know how _that_ turned out." she laughed. "I don't suppose I could have some time to think it over?"

"As long as you need."

"Though," she continued. "Is there a chance I might get a ride back to my place? If nothin' else...just want to pick up a few things. Don't get me wrong, the threads are great -nice and cozy- but I think I'd be a bit more comfortable in my own stuff, ya know?"

"Of course. While I'll be staying on Muir for a while yet, I can have Mr. Katzroy take you to the mainland tonight if you'd like." Cid nodded, then turned his head. "And you, Miss Farron?"

"I might need to sleep on it myself."

"Understandable." _I'd imagine you have quite a lot to consider._

_ Stay out of my head._

_ My apologies._ "Will you be returning home as well?"

"Yes." Lightning responded quickly. "It's been crazy...I just need some time to...decompress."

"Of course. And rest assured you can contact us here at any time. Should you need anything."

"I appreciate it."

"Same here, an' not to sound rude or anythin'," Fang interjected somewhat carefully, causing the three of them to pause their idle ambling, "but I think Miss Farron an' I have a couple things to discuss. If ya don't mind."

"Oh, of course. I didn't mean to intrude. I'll get back with you later about your flight then." and he took his leave, his hands still folded behind his back as he started back down the corridor where they had come.

Lightning swallowed, her feet feeling like they weighed two tons. She could feel Fang's eyes on her while her own were set on the floor. _Etro. Here it comes._

Fang would wait until she could no longer hear footsteps, until she was certain Cid was gone and wouldn't hear. Her arms were still crossed as she lifted her chin. "How do you know me?"

"I don't."

Fang's eyes narrowed, suspicious. "Look, lyin' ain't gonna get rid of me any sooner."

"I'm not lying."

"Bullshit." she took a casual step closer to the hume, her eyes still focused, sharp set. "Your scent is familiar, an' my nose don't lie. Even your eyes," and she leaned to the side, trying to catch the hume's gaze. "But I can't place 'em to save my life...who _are_ you?"

Lightning felt like her heart was going to burst. It was pounding, a jackhammer against her ribcage. _Just tell her. She doesn't have to know everything. Obviously she doesn't remember..._

She took a deep breath. "Like Cid said...I'm a mercenary. I'll do any job...if the money's right. PSICOM had the money, I had the time...they hired me on as head of security for one of their weapon research facilities."

Fang didn't like that Lightning still refused to look at her. Even as she took another step closer, and another. They were but inches apart. Fang didn't like the open ended response, though it filled in some holes. Those funky dreams made a little more sense.

"So...you weren't so much huntin' me as you were tryin' to catch me? Take me back?"

"There was nothing to take you back _to_. But...it wasn't that."

"Then what _were_ ya doin' out in the snow after my scrawny ass?"

"I was working as a double agent. NORA was using me to get inside. I was trying to get to you before PSICOM did."

"Was the gun necessary?"

"I had to defend myself." and her arm tucked against her chest, the one in the cast. "You weren't exactly...open for debate." the memory flashed in her mind briefly.

"I had a feelin'." though it was a vague one. "Still...that can't be the only place I know ya from."

Lightning felt her jaw tighten. "Maybe it'll come back to you. If you have seen me before...I don't know about it."

Fang straightened, leaning away, but her eyes were still thin, fixed on Lightning. "Hmm...maybe. Ya ever been to a bump in the road called Kalm? I work at a bar there...thinkin'...if ya travel a lot for your job,"

"Sounds familiar. Might've passed through a few times."

Fang nodded, though it didn't seem like she was buying it. "Maybe that's where I saw ya...see lots of folks come and go through there."

"Maybe."

A silence fell between them. It was heavy, smothering, and Lightning was feeling every ounce of it coupled with the L'Cie's gaze. Ten tons times ten tons. Fang leaned forward once again, this time much closer, close enough for her cheek to almost touch Lightning's. The L'Cie took a sniff.

"You're hidin' somethin'...you're sweatin' it." she whispered. "Wonder why?"

Lightning could feel herself start shaking, but she fought it. Not too well, but she tried.

"No worries." Fang backed away, suddenly smirking. "I suppose I'll find out sooner or later. 'Til then...I guess I should apologize."

Finally Lightning lifted her gaze to meet the L'Cie. "For..." for some reason she just couldn't find the words to finish.

"For the other day...tossin' ya about like I did. And I'm guessin' that wonky paddle of yours is my doin' too?"

"I've been through worse."

"Well, if it helps at all, as it stands I'd have rather offered ya a drink than shank ya like that." and Fang laughed, finally uncrossing her arms to put her hands in her pockets. "No hard feelins'?"

And Lightning just looked at her, seemingly baffled.

"Aw, am I makin' ya blush? Aren't you adorable." and Fang started walking on, smirking. "See ya on the flight home then, eh?"

Lightning managed to watch as she disappeared around the corner, and finally found herself able to breathe.

_Gods...it was like she could see right through me..._

That gaze, those eyes, _Etro_... like a hot iron. And once Lightning's eyes had connected with hers, forest meeting sea, there was no turning away.

_You remember that look. Even if Fang doesn't, you do. This is going to be harder now. Harder to hide. Fuck me right?_

Yeah. Fuck me.

And Lightning would be chanting that phrase to herself consistently throughout the day, as it dwindled into evening, and after the stars came out. Even as she hung her duffel from her shoulder, working down the airstrip towards the plane -boots on at last- with the others coming along for the ride. Serah was staying behind, which was almost relieving as that meant she would have the house to herself for a while. Solitude being something she felt she desperately needed. But aside from the pilot Mr. Katzroy, Fang, and herself, Lebreau would be joining them. Lightning didn't much see the point, but Cid thought it a sound idea, commenting how it might be helpful to have an extra hand.

_Can't be too careful with PSICOM._

Indeed.

So, in a cab no larger than the inside of your average car and surrounded by mostly total strangers, Lightning sat quietly throughout the two hour flight back to the mainland. And it was a long, _long_ flight.

They would touch down again some time around midnight, one A.M., in the port town of Juno. Mr. Raines maintained a large storage facility there that coupled as a hangar. The door was hooked up to a remote, just like a garage, and it opened as they came in for a landing. The aircraft eventually came to a stop and the engine died.

"Someone else is driving." Mr Katzroy grumbled as he slid out of the pilot's seat.

"I got you covered, Voodoo man," Lebreau offered, coming around the craft.

"Don't call me that."

Also kept within the hangar was a small selection of cars, including NORA's typical mode of transport, that is the blue van. Though everyone seemed to converge on a more subtle seeming sedan. Lightning tossed her duffel in the trunk, closed the lid, but then felt herself shrink slightly as Lebreau and Mr. Katzroy slid into the front seats. That only meant one thing: she was stuck in the back. With Fang. Which would turn out to be more of a pain than you would think.

Fang decided to sleep during the ride. And Fang snores. Oh. My. Gods. And once the slumber settled in, settled deep, Lightning finally noticed that she neglected to wear a seat belt. As every time they made a turn in a particular direction, The L'Cie would slide across the back seat. Yeah. Fun times. Her head falling in Lightning's lap felt like a damn bowling ball. She was convinced there would be a bruise later.

Sazh Katzroy lived about an hour outside of Juno, further inland to the east, off a desolate stretch of highway. He was an old, old friend of Mr. Raines, and had been working him for as long as they knew each other. And he was much more than NORA's chauffeur. He would often take in those poor souls that humes threw away, L'Cie, sometimes the homeless if they needed a place for the night or a bite to eat. But mostly he sheltered those who were different, helped them find their way. Had been doing it for years now. Although, at this point in time, we find the two-story empty as they pull up the gravel drive.

There was a noticeable fatigue in everyone as they got out of the car, Fang being the last as she didn't wake until after Lightning shoved her away. Which took moderate effort, what with the extra weight the L'Cie had put on recently. The lot of them were quiet walking inside, save for the thump-thump of their footsteps resonating through the old wood of the house.

"The couch in the living room folds out, and there are guest rooms upstairs. Knock yourselves out." Sazh said all of this as he ambled upstairs, having every intent to shut himself up in his room and go to bed. After that far of a trip without a real break, Lightning thought sleep sounded good. She started up the stairs as well. But she paused about half way up, maybe our of reflex -maybe not- as she heard voices behind that drifted out of what she could only assume was the living room.

"Supposin' you'll go upstairs. I don't mind the couch." Fang cleared her throat after speaking. A soft grunt.

"Well," Lebreau yawned. "I'm not that sleepy yet. I'm kind of a night owl. Besides, Sazh said the sofa folds out...don't really have to go upstairs."

Fang chuckled. "Goin' awful fast, aren't ya?"

"You've been flirting with me since we met,"

"Can ya blame me?"

Lightning listened, unable to stop, feeling her body steadily growing heavier. Her good hand curled into a fist at her side. There was the creaking of wood and springs, the rush of air as bodies settled.

"Ya must think I'm a bit of a creeper,"

"Not really. It's kind of flattering actually." Lebreau giggled a little. "Can't say there's much time for relationships...what with my work and all."

"I can imagine. In any case...thanks for keepin' me company."

"Not to say it hasn't been fun. Though I'll admit I find myself watching your hands rather often."

Fang laughed. "Honey, you'd have probably smacked me a time or two by now if I wasn't so worried of takin' off a finger."

It was quiet again. But momentarily.

"Can I see them?" and it was a gentle inquiry.

The response was not immediate. And somehow, that made Lightning quietly anxious. Then there was that chime of metal. _Snikt._

"Look but don't touch."

And what Lightning couldn't see was that Lebreau did touch, but only Fang's hand. And Fang watched carefully the expressions that gently came over the other L'Cie's face. Curiosity, not fear. Fascination, not hesitation. Like nothing surprised her. Though she jumped a little as the blades retracted.

"Does it hurt?"

"Every time." Like slapping a sunburn coming out, a nasty paper cut going in.

Lebreau kept Fang's hand in hers, still seeming curious. She touched the terminals with her fingertips.

"Has anything else come back to you? Anything at all?"

"Nah." the reply sounded somewhat defeated. "Just little flashes...flickers...phantoms. Maybe goin' through my old haunts will jog somethin'. 'Til then...don't suppose I'm doin' so bad. I stand to do a lot worse."

"Guess so. At least you're with friends, right?"

"Well shit, after all that work and you and me are still just friends, I must be losin' my touch."

And they laughed together.

Lightning, after another moment or so, managed to start moving again, and searched about the darkness on the upper landing for the nearest guest room. Her heart was pounding, the knuckles of her good hand white. Emotions bubbled through her that she didn't understand, and sure as hell didn't like.

Still. It was better this way.

_You're doing the right thing. It's how it should be. Fang deserves it._..._Fuck me right?_

Author's Note: This chapter felt weird. Dunno why, maybe it just felt like more expose`...but there was some plot movement. Just a tit. Anyhow, don't know when the next chapter will even begin or be finished, so please be so kind as to continue with your stalwart patience. But when it does come along, I would imagine we'll be finding out more about Fang's missing days, which many of you have been eagerly waiting for. So yeah. Thanks and lots of love to all of you readers, you guys are the shit.


	9. Chapter 8

**XIII**

**Chapter Eight**

It was early still, not quite dawn but the horizon was beginning to whiten with it. There were still stars flickering overhead even as the velvet darkness melted away. Fang was out on the front porch of the house, leaning on the old wood railing, arms crossed in front of her. Her brow was knit tightly, small beads of sweat glistening in meager light, her eyes focused out there somewhere. The look on her face...like she was searching for something.

Another dream, another mess of memories came rushing back. So fast, so vivid, there were scents...colors...even _sound_. Though the sounds were mostly that of her own screams. And they _rang_ in her head, scraping, vibrating with phantom pains that she could only half acknowledge, unsure of which ones were real.

Screaming, screaming, screaming...and no one was listening. Strapped to a table, naked, skin ripped open, blood everywhere, all over her. It was her own blood. She could taste it as her lips were pulled back in a full-toothed snarl, roaring at the top of her lungs and pulling against the restraints, claws out. And they did nothing. The blurs of color that her dreaming mind understood as the presence of others, did nothing. Just looked on.

It would move in fast forward, slow motion, play back again. It was repeating itself now, as she studied through it, thought it over. Feeling in her guts that it happened, though in a strange way it felt like she wasn't really there. She was standing to the side, watching, marveling in her own quiet horror.

But it didn't stop there. There was more.

Ugallu, dozens of them -felt like hundreds-, even Behemoth, all of them ripped to shreds. Gods, the stink of death was so _thick_. Thick enough to linger after she suddenly woke, thick enough to make her dry heave over it.

Then, strangely yet in a fashion that could only be in a dream, the beasts morphed into men. Humans. But what ultimately happened to them remained unchanged. Bloodied. In pieces and strewn about. No faces, no definite features, just a mess of limbs and chunks of rent flesh. Though one stood out, not so much the appearance as what happened to them. All three claws on one hand, right up his chin, into his brain.

Then the dream fizzled, swirling into a darkness that woke her. Had her jerking in an attempt to sit up. Sweating. Fang found her claws extended once she had calmed enough to notice, only wondering for a brief moment when it could have happened. Still, at least she hadn't hurt anyone outside of her nightmare, as Lebreau was but a reach away on the fold out mattress of the sofa. Her fellow L'Cie had gone completely undisturbed, unmoving even as Fang slipped out of the room, out the front door to settle where she was now.

Fang put her heated palms to her face, taking a deep breath as she straightened. Needless to say the idea of all that being fact wasn't too pleasant, but there was still that quiet nagging of _needing_ to know one way or the other.

_Lucky me, there's someone not too far away who might know somethin' about all that. _

But pulling teeth would be easier than getting anything out of _her_. As pretty as she was, that Farron was damn stubborn. Fang knew she wasn't coming clean with everything, so she was naturally curious. What did she have to hide anyhow? Sure, everyone's got skeletons in their closets, but were hers so much worse?

_Maybe later. Yeah, I'll pick her brain again after a while. She might actually wanna talk then._ As Fang hadn't forgotten the stiffness about Lightning when they had spoke before, the telling behavior that tipped Fang to her lack of willingness to explain herself.

Later. That would have to do.

Fang would creep back inside after a moment or two more, and immediately she could smell coffee coming from the kitchen. She would find Mr. Katzroy shuffling about the worn linoleum, lingering mostly by the stove in waiting. He looked to have shrugged on the same slacks and shirt he had been wearing yesterday, yet they were anything but tidy, his shirt untucked and unbuttoned. Like he'd just gotten up.

He cleared his throat. "You want some?"

"That'd be mighty kind of ya." and she stepped into the room, aiming to have a seat at the small table near the far wall.

"Hope you like it black."

"A little umbrella would be nice." she smirked, though he wasn't looking.

"Fresh out."

"Straight it is then." And she waited patiently, listening, watching as Mr. Katzroy eventually sat across from her, sliding a mug across the table. "Thank ya."

He only nodded, sipping his coffee.

"Now how did a hip young man like yourself end up in a place like this all alone?"

He swallowed. "Easy to do when you're different."

A small snicker. "I thought all that changed for folks like you with the Civil Rights movement."

"That wasn't the _different_ I was talkin' about," he almost smiled.

"I know. I could smell that about you." she could, something very odd, yet not entirely unfamiliar. L'Cie often had a strange wang to their scent. "I take it that's how you and Cid got to be in one another's company?"

"Yeah. We've been friends for...a long while."

"He the one that started callin' ya 'Voodoo'?"

"Nah," he shook his head, taking another hit from his mug. "Just a nickname I earned after a spell."

"What's it mean?"

"Well," he paused, clearing his throat again. "Chances are good we'll be seein' a lot of each other. I'm sure you'll find out."

"Aw, c'mon, I hate secrets."

"Everybody's got 'em. Better get used to it."

"Oh I'm used to it, just don't like it."

Mr. Katzroy chuckled quietly. "Fair enough. But Cid tells me I'm takin' you home. Where's home?"

"Kalm. More or less." Her truck had crapped out maybe a quarter of a mile out of town. And there she had to settle with it staying until she got the cash together to get it running again.

He nodded. "Been there a time or two."

"I work at the Laughing Wolf."

"Oh yeah, been there too, Chuck's a nice fella. You plannin' to stay?"

"Still thinkin' it over," though deep down she was doubting it. "Guess it depends on what I find when I get there. Though Cid offered me a job."

"So I heard. Considerin' who's on your butt, I'd take it."

She nodded slowly, taking a sip. "The more I think about it the better it sounds. Still...need some answers first...to fill in some blanks."

"Might not like what you find."

"Oh, I'm countin' on that."

They would go back and forth like this for a only a short spell longer, just long enough for the others to wake and get their bearings straight. There was no time wasted in getting back on the road as there was still quite a ways to go. It would be more than three hours to drive to Kalm, and with that coupled with pit stops somewhere in the middle for gas and an overwhelming craving for corn chips, that would take a while.

It would be early in the afternoon when a seemingly endless stretch of highway came to a town only five miles wide in any direction. It was the kind of place you were born to leave. It had the essentials that every town needed to maintain itself, a post office, a school, a bar across from the only hotel The Gallant Stag, but very little else.

"Let's stop at the Laughing Wolf first. Chuck should be there by now." Fang said from the back seat, pointing towards the end of the mains street where the building in question was situated. Mr. Katzroy nodded in acknowledgment, switching on the turn signal once they reached it, passing through a single traffic light on the way.

The gravel parking lot was empty at the hour, save for a delivery truck that was parked around the back of the bar. Dust rose into the air as the sedan pulled up to the front, parking. With no apparent hurry but certainly without pause, Fang stepped out, going around the back as she knew the main door would still be locked. She paid no mind to the delivery man, didn't know him as the usual guy, and slipped in the back door as he rolled an empty dolly back to his truck.

Everything smelled familiar here, like home, whiskey and cigars, warm and welcoming. Stepping into the main bar she spotted chuck immediately, a portly and older gentleman with a handlebar mustache so fine you wanted to pet it. He stood behind the counter, recently arrived boxes of fire water stacked next to him as he went over the invoice, thick framed glasses propped on his plump and naturally reddened nose.

A bushy eyebrow lifted. He must've heard her footsteps. "Enjoy your vacation?"

Fang laughed, coming to lean on the bar in front of him. "What, I take a week off and ya get all grouchy?"

"Try a month."

"What?" a month? How could it have been a month?

Chuck finally looked up, looked at her, and his expression quirked. "What the hell happened? You look like a bum."

"Funny you should ask," she suddenly felt very uneasy. "I was hopin' you could tell me."

"All I know is that you didn't show up for work one night last month, and didn't hear a word from you since. I thought maybe you'd skipped town or something, hopin' you would've said goodbye at least."

That just didn't make any sense. Fang's brow knitted. How did she loose a whole month? A few days, sure, that wasn't all that strange, but a month?

"What...don't you remember?"

She looked at him, expression darkened. "I don't. That's why I'm here."

Chuck put the invoice down on the counter, crossing his arms and leaning on the bar. "That doesn't sound too good, girlie."

"No, it doesn't. You wouldn't know anything, would ya? Any strange folks lingerin' 'round here?"

"Not too sure on that, though I see things. Guys in suits, comin' in but never orderin' anything. Sometimes they ask if I've heard from you."

Fang felt her brow tighten that much more. Probably PSICOM, expecting her to come right back. No way she could stay now.

"Damn it."

"What is it, girlie? Can't I help?"

"I don't think so, Chuck. This is some deep shit I don't want ya getting' into."

A look came over his chubby face, like a worried father. "So there's nothin' I can do? Where will you go?"

"To be honest," she let out a saddened sigh, "I think the less ya know the safer you'll be. Now that I think about it, might be best if ya forgot ya saw me altogether."

"Now you can't expect me to-,"

"Trust me. It's for the best. I don't think these are the kind of guys you take chances with. So...doubt you'll see me for a while after this."

Chuck shrugged, taking his glasses off. "That's how it's gotta be?"

"'Fraid so, old man. Y'know I still love ya. You've always been good t'me."

"You're the best cooler I've ever had," he straightened. "You kept this place in order real nice. At least let me give you something," and he reached for his wallet in his back pocket. "It isn't much, but it should get ya a bus ticket most anywhere."

"Chuck, really, ya don't have to,"

"Let me, girlie. Even if you don't want to, I'm gonna anyway."

She held her breath a minute and then let it out, smiling. "A'right, old fella. Stubborn mule."

He picked a selection of bills from his wallet and passed them to her. "Just say thanks and be off with ya, all right? And get a haircut, ya bum."

"I make no promises." still smiling she took his generous offer and stuffed in the pocket of the hoodie. "I'll try and touch base with ya every now and again."

"Now scram, before I throw ya out."

"Yeah, yeah. Stay outta trouble, Chuck."

Fang would leave the Laughing Wolf from the way the came, through the back door, past the delivery guy again, and walked around to the parking lot. Her expression was grave, her pace hurried and shoulders hiked as she headed for the car. She slid into her previous place in the back seat.

"A fuckin' _month_," she snarled. "Those bastards stole a whole god-damned _month_ from me!"

Everyone was quiet, the silence heavy.

"So where to now?" Mr. Katzroy said finally.

"Take a left outta here. Just go straight." Fang settled back into the seat, arms crossing. "You got a _helluva_ lot of explainin' t'do," and she glared at the back of Lightning's head from where she sat. Lightning felt it, though she didn't say a word.

The engine turned over and they rolled back onto the asphalt. The drive wouldn't take long this time, only a minute or two. Mr. Katzroy would pull off the highway to a flat and somewhat desolate stretch of road, near what looked to be a weathered and worn red pickup. The front bumper was gone, primer was showing all over it, rust pocked the wheel wells and doors. Hub caps were missing, all four of them gone. The windshield was cracked all the way across, from one side to the other. In the bed of the truck was a just as battered looking camper-like addition. Surprisingly the two windows in it were perfectly intact.

Home sweet home, Fang mused briefly as she stepped out of the sedan a second time. "I'll be a minute. Just gotta grab a few things."

Once she was gone, the door closed, Lightning dipped her head, a slight shrug to the motion.

"You're in this as deep as her, aren't you?" Mr. Katzroy didn't look at her as he asked.

No response.

Fang strolled up to the vehicle with no real rush, like one would approach an old friend. She'd stolen the pickup from her father, as much as she hated to, the night she ran away from home. When she'd finally accepted the fact of what she really was, she couldn't stand to face him anymore. So she left, taking his truck to put as much road between the two of them as possible. Not that she hated him, loved him most of all on this big blue marble to be honest, but she didn't want to have to stomach his shame if he ever found out.

She touched the side mirror with a quiet, almost bittersweet adoration. This had been her home for years now, naturally she held a degree of sentiment for the lumbering hunk of steel. She would walk around, to the door of the meager living space, only partially surprised to find the door unmoving when she tried to pull it open. She always locked it when she left, but she didn't have the key anymore. A flinch of pain, claws extending, she cut her way inside by sliding one upward to slice the bolt.

Much like the bar, it smelled familiar, it smelled like her. Fang stepped up into the shadowed space, taking a deep breath through her nose, feeling comforted. She remembered this, remembered countless evenings with a cigar and a can of beer perched on her stomach, listening to the radio and feeling like the only soul about for miles. The world was out there, none the wiser to her secret, and she was safe in here. Going to bed and waking up only when she felt like it, wearing the same shirt for a week straight if she fancied to. Well, not only when she fancied to, more so until she had the money for a trip to the nearest laundromat.

The space was just big enough for a more than compact table and booth chair, a miniature fridge, and a tiny sofa that had just enough room to fold out into a single bed. Yup. Home.

_Can't stay too long_. Fang sniffed the air again, with intent. _Someone else has been here...recently. Bet they got eyes all over the place._

But still paused but a moment, stepping further inside. She bent down, the fridge at her feet. She pondered the few magnets she'd decorated it with over the years. One said "If you fuck like you park, you'll never get in", another was a bottle opener. She pulled that one off, wanting to keep it, and just imagine her mild amusement-slash-irritation when it stuck to her hand like tape, the magnet strong enough to hold to the metal in her fingers. It was enough to dissuade her from further procrastination. She went for the small duffel bag she kept hidden under the bed, quickly changing clothes before stuffing her remaining essentials into the bag. And said essentials included the last few beers that were left in the fridge, a three-quarters full box of cigars, and a jacket, seeing as it was winter in this part of the world.

She felt a little more like herself again.

With a new found swagger in her hips Fang returned to the car, everyone watching as she slid into the back seat after putting her bag in the floor. Lebreau seemed to have her eyes glued to her fellow L'Cie.

"Nice threads."

"Ya like 'em?" Fang's smile was smug. "I dare say they're certainly more...me." Faded jeans, boots, red and black flannel beneath heavy black leather. A buckskin aussie cap with a sterling silver and turquoise ornament in the front. And now she wore a necklace, a choker to be specific, leather bound and brass beaded, behemoth horn hair pipe the color of pitch. A gift from her father. "A little off topic, ya got a cell on ya?"

"Yeah. You need to call someone?"

"I wanna talk to your boss."

With a curious expression, Lebreau shifted in her seat, finding her phone and hitting the speed-dial number that coincided with Mr. Raines' phone. She then passed it to Fang. Fang listened to the dial tone, it buzzing twice before the click.

_"Cid Raines speaking. Is that you, Miss Fang?"_

"Aren't you the clever one?"

_"Is everything all right?"_

"Fine as I can expect. Just wanted to let ya know...I'll take the job."

_"I'm very pleased to hear that. I'll be sure everything is in order by the time you get back to the island."_

"Thank ya, sir. See ya around." and then she hung up, passing the phone back to its owner. "So, where to now?"

"I'm going home." Lightning said.

"Oh goody, road trip." she feigned excitement very well. "Best be rollin' on then, eh?"

And roll on they did, for another ten hours, further north, further into the cold throws of the Pulsian Winter.

Lightning was tense in her seat the entire trip, not sure if she was imagining it or if she could really feel Fang's eyes boring into the back of her skull. Feel her judgment, a silent demand that she spill her guts already. She bit down on the inside of her cheek, her brain burning.

_You can hold it in, you're almost home. The house will be empty, you can be alone. Then you can cope with it, swallow it down again._

It was no longer snowing in Bodhum when they crossed the city limits, though the air was still very, very cold. The weather station on the radio was calling for flurries all over the tri-county area, Bodhum being in the heart of it. As docile as that sounded, this late at night it could make things problematic. You know, what with idiots behind the wheel at this hour and inclement weather. Two things that should never mix.

It was after midnight when the sedan pulled to a stop in front of the Farron household. Mr. Katzroy put the car in park and tossed his head back with a shrug, a clear sign that he was sick of driving for the day. Lebreau offered to switch out with him as Lightning unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car. With eyes on the ground she went for the trunk, meaning to collect her one bag from it. Fang was already there, the lid up, the duffel in one hand.

"I got it. I'll walk ya in."

"I don't need an escort."

"Just tryin' t'be friendly." and she smirked, the dull crimson glow of the rear lights enough to make it visible.

Lightning felt herself tense again, and with a shake of her head she fished in her pockets for her house key.

It was dark and quiet inside, warmer even though the furnace wasn't on. Lightning let out a quiet breath, relieved.

"Where do ya want it?"

"Anywhere is fine."

Taking her word for it, Fang let the bag drop just inside the dinning room, an arm's reach away from where she stood. "You sure you'll be all right by yourself?"

"I'll manage." Lightning had stilled only a few steps ahead of Fang, closer to the kitchen, her back to the L'Cie.

Fang watched her from where she stood, noticed her discomfort, could hear it in her voice, her hurried heartbeat that her mutated senses could find. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." the response was much too quick.

"Something's botherin' ya. You've been uptight all day."

"It's nothing. Just tired...got a lot on my mind."

Fang didn't believe a word of it, well, except for the last bit. She could see the fatigue, the dimness in those cerulean eyes. But what the hell for was what she couldn't fathom.

"Well...maybe the time to yourself will help ya sort it out, yeah? Though...I was wonderin'...ya think I might call ya sometime? Ya know, when you're not feelin' so crappy. Got some questions I'd like to ask ya."

"Yeah. Sure." she answered without really thinking. "Serah...she can reach me."

"She's your sister, right? Yeah. Okay." Fang nodded. "Well...take care of yourself. Call if ya need anythin'."

But Lightning said nothing, and only listened as Fang left, the front door opening and closing. Once she was certain they had gone, the flash of headlights bouncing off the walls briefly as the car pulled out of the driveway, she grabbed her duffel and dragged it to her room. Where she proceeded to shut herself in, pressing her back to the door and sliding downward, sinking until she sat on the floor. She folded her arms across the back of her neck, forehead to her knees. She began to breathe, fully, freely, released from the weight of having to hide it all. She breathed, gasped, heaved, for perhaps all of a minute. Then she went still. Almost frighteningly so. She lifted her head, let it rest against the door, arms out in front of her, and her expression flat. Like it hadn't happened.

She then stretched, casual, with catlike grace for her duffel, and unhurried began to sift through it for her phone. Her thumb almost sluggishly pressed the numbers before putting it to her ear. She waited.

_"Raines speaking."_

"Cid."

_"Ah, Miss Farron, how are you?" _in a strange way he sounded genuinely pleased to receive the call.

"Just got home. Getting settled back in."

_"Glad to know you made it safely. This wouldn't happen to be about the job offer then?"_

"No." she shook her head. "Though I had a question."

_"Of course."_

"Who did I kill?" she paused, a quiet breath. "If it wasn't you..."

After a strain of silence, there was a gentle sigh on the other end of the line. _"Is this really something you should dwell on? I mean...this can't be healthy."_

"I just...I need to know."

A long pause, perhaps he was thinking it over, wondering why. _"His name was Rygdea. I'd known him since we were kids. He was a L'Cie too, a doppelganger. I tried to talk him out of it, but he just wouldn't listen. Turns out he was just as invested in what I was trying to do as I was. One of the best friends I ever had...greatest man I'd ever known."_

Cid had been running for his place as the Minister of L'Cie affairs at the time, and there were more than plenty certain someone's that didn't want him to succeed. Lightning knew she wasn't the only one sent to bump him off, but she had to have been the only one to get so close. Close enough to kill a flawless body double.

Lightning felt her chest clench, her expression scrunching in the darkness. "I'm sorry." and she had to force it.

_"...I'm actually glad to hear that. I never realized how hard it was...until so many years went by without knowing who...thank you, Miss Farron, for what it's worth. And I'm not just saying that."_

"You're being awfully gracious, all things considered."

_"Holding a grudge never changed anything, and I think you'll come to find that forgiveness is just easier." _An empty laugh carried over the line. _"I know it isn't easy trying to change who you are."_

Lightning tensed, brow tightening in the middle.

_"But I also know that you're making an honest effort. You may not believe it, I'm certainly not going to expect you to, but it's people like you that give me hope. I know there's a chance when someone like you finds a way to change their mind about us."_

Lightning said nothing, couldn't find a response suitable enough.

_"I suppose I won't keep you any longer, unless there was something else you wanted to know."_

"No."

_ "Very well, it must be very late where you are...try to get some rest."_

"Have every intention to."

_"Feel free to call me if you need anything. Anytime. Even if it's just to talk."_

"Thanks."

The conversation ended. She let the phone drop to the floor, her head dipping again, her face resting in her palms. The scratch of the cast against her cheek.

How many, she wondered. How many best friends had she killed? How many lives did she ruin? She had the answer.

Twenty.

That's how many over the last...some five years or more. She was twenty-two when she got out of the military, weeks out when she was hired as an independent agent by some contractor. Now she was almost twenty-eight, with little more than a file of photos and a bloated bank account to show for all the shit she had done.

Keeping pictures of your targets, gods, how morbid! Not entirely. It had a purpose. Everyone needs a resume. Besides, before, they were just pictures. She didn't have names for all of them, didn't recognize them as people. They were L'Cie, save for perhaps two. L'Cie weren't people at the time, they were just walking paychecks.

But that had changed.

Now they had faces, now they had meaning. They weren't targets, black marks in her mental ledger. They were _victims_, they were fathers and mothers, even _children_. The youngest one had been ten. Ten-_fucking_-years old. It was the only one she struggled with before now, before her mind began to change. The file on him was extensive, something about the boy's family being members of a hostile Pro-L'Cie group. They'd strapped the kid up with a dynamite vest and sent him strolling through Sanctum towards the Senate, looking to blow a conference of world leaders to kingdom come. It would've, most likely, started a war. At least that was the sum of all fears everyone seemed to have over the situation. That was one the key points the contractor had used to try and convince her to do the job.

Something that serious, you just assume it's for the best. Pull the trigger while you say it over and over again in your mind.

And then, after she thought she'd come to terms with it...

Fang happened. More particularly, when Lightning realized she wasn't a hume.

That brought Lightning's work home, made it personal. Which broke rule number one. You let it get personal, you let it under your skin, you're on a one-way trip up shits creek with the paddle shoved where the sun don't shine. Gods damn it all.

Lightning shivered, breath hitched in her lungs as her chest clenched. A tiny, pitiable whimper escaped. She shook again, harder, her hands curling into fists as her back straightened against the wall. She was fighting it again, the guilt, and it only seemed to get more and more trying.

_Should've stayed with the corps after all._

Then again, maybe not, not a chance in hell she'd be that lucky twice. But perhaps that's what part of her was counting on.

Her thoughts started wandering, going back.

Deployment is a scary thing if you think about it hard enough, terrifying if you're fresh out of basic, out of Sniper School, still eighteen and going into one of the hottest areas on the map. And by hot, I mean hostile. There was active civil war among the provinces on the desert continent of Figaro some several thousands miles to the south, still was today -though by now I think the powers that be had allowed the country to handle its own problems. Lightning had been placed in the 86th Armored Division, the unit's chief purpose being that of escort for large convoys of both troops and supplies.

Tan fatigues, cap low over her eyes, neck deep in grit, even more dust in her face carried on the dry and scorched winds. Hot as fuck, sunburn already in her skin, her body heavy with equipment. Dark tinted glasses kept most of the sun out, but she still had to squint to see properly. Gun in hand she marched along the column, part of a mixture of other soldiers, tanks, and supply trucks.

Sand for miles and miles as she looked about, dunes and wastes ahead and behind. You wouldn't think anything would be able to hide out there. But something was, and none of them had a clue what was coming.

She remembered a whistling sound, the push of air as something passed just over her head, and then the blast. The sting of shrapnel burned through her, the whole world seeming to turn on its head. She was falling, at least it had felt like falling. In reality she had been flying through the air, hurled by the force of the blast from what everyone called a block buster, it's boom seemingly big enough to take out a city block. It reduced the tank to twisted and burning heap, three inch plate steel reduced to charred shards. She hit the ground rolling, sick to her stomach by the time she stopped. The world was spinning as she opened her eyes, now looking through cracked and fractured lenses. Through the ringing in her ears she could hear gunfire, a storm of it, the flicker of rounds above her.

Lightning remembered being so terrified when she realized she couldn't feel her legs. She never put two and two together to think that she had landed on her head, and couldn't calm down enough to remember feeling something in her neck pop. It hadn't just popped, it snapped. And all she could do was lay there, play dead, until a corpsman came. And that wouldn't be until after the shooting stopped. Shock had settled in deep by then, so Lightning didn't remember much else, didn't remember the surgery. Turns out she had been what's called "internally decapitated". No serious harm to the spinal column or brain stem, but the soft tissue connecting the skull to the vertebra had snapped. The paralysis had been temporary and was caused by the subsequent swelling. She was walking again in a month, and back on duty a week after that.

But she was convinced it should've killed her. I mean, how do you come that close and not, in the very least, deserve it?

Still, somehow the incident had changed her, though she could never really explain how. Even her family noticed, Serah and her mother, though they couldn't put words to it either. Everyone said she was so lucky, though she didn't feel it. Nothing changed, life went on. Though, I'd like to make a note that Lightning would volunteer for progressively riskier assignments after that. One might almost call her self-destructive. Though fuck all if you said it to her face. "Just doing my job" was always her argument, became her motto.

_Just doing my job._

Just like all those _victims_. Just a job.

But it wasn't that simple anymore. Things were complicated, and it made Lightning sick to her stomach. And Fang was at the center of it.

It was her, the L'Cie that made her mind change, that gave her victims a face. Somehow she represented every life Lightning had ever been paid to take. It stripped bare all of her mental safeguards, her little white lies, and made her see with eyes unclouded all the pain she must have caused. As well as made her swallow all of the bitter hypocrisy that rose out of it.

_All of a sudden L'Cie mattered just because you-_

Lightning winced hard, unable to allow her conscience to finish, knowing exactly where it was going.

_And once she finds out, once Fang knows the truth, she's going to hate your guts. And so will everyone else once _they_ know._

But, for the time being, none of them knew, though some had suspicions. Damn that empath. And for now she was going to just shove it down like always, stick her head in the sand for a week or two, and find a way to cope with it later.

She just wanted some sleep. And would have it promptly after crawling on all fours to the bed, feeling heavy, and pulling herself under the blanket.

Author's Note: That last bit felt so...off. I dunno. I felt like I was prattling on there for a bit. Still, it needed to come out and it seemed like the best place to divulge it at the time. Sorry if it seems like pointless information, as I have made that mistake before. Otherwise, hope you enjoyed it. Don't know when the next chapter will be coming about, so do be patient. Toodles.


	10. Chapter 9

**XIII**

**Chapter Nine**

Caius slept deep, untroubled, which was the usual for him. With Yeul tucked tight to his chest he laid on his side, one great arm curled over her in a protective manner. He didn't snore, he didn't stir, save for the systematic nature of his breathing there was no movement to him at all. At first glance one might think him dead.

As deep down as he was, he was still rather quick to respond to the cell phone buzzing on the nightstand beside the bed. Truth be told he hated phones, sooner do without them, but those silly humes had to reach him somehow. He rolled over, still quiet with grace, picked it up, and pressed a button with the top of the talon on his thumb.

_"Twelve?"_ It was Nabaat and her usual snippy tone.

"Yes." his response was a quiet rumble.

_"We've had a positive sighting of Thirteen in the town of Kalm."_

"You must be so excited. I suppose you're expecting me to go there?"

_"Not exactly. Our agents confirmed she left not even an hour after arriving heading northbound on interstate 117."_

"And you're telling me this because..."

_"Because I don't trust Six as far as I could throw her. I need someone to assist One, not get us exposed by making a scene."_

A low, grumbling sort of shrug eased out of him. "Where will I be going?"

_"Bodhum."_

"That will take some time."

_"That's not a problem. One won't be there for a few more days yet. You have your orders."_

"Of course." and with another prob of his talon, the conversation was concluded. Without delay he rolled back over, resuming his previous position, and saw fit to continue his interrupted slumber for another hour or so. It was still early yet, and as Jihl had said, he had time. His thick fingers found a tress of Yeul's hair, threaded it, and he began to purr.

Caius had few concerns, as One was the more competent of his associates. Although that wasn't saying very much, to be honest. It would be all too easy for him to fuck it up. He would go in any case, keep an eye on things at the very least. If Contagion needed a hand, he would lend it. No sooner.

_(II)_

Cid was quiet to open the door to Moira's lab, thinking it a courteous gesture as she was surely working on one thing or another. Naturally he was right, expected it when Yuj had informed him of the good doctor's request for his company. And as expected, he would find her glued to her monitor.

"Pardon the intrusion," he announced himself softly. "But you were the one who asked me never to knock."

"Aye, I 'aven't forgotten. Come in." and it wasn't until she heard the door click shut that she pushed herself away from her desk and stood to greet him.

"You have something to show me?"

She only nodded and encouraged him towards her desk, resuming her seat and beginning to click away on the keyboard. "Tell me, Mr. Raines, do ya believe in the notion that man descended from apes?"

Cid made a strange face. "Well...I'm open to the possibility...whether I believe it is debatable."

"Then suppose, for the moment if ya will, that ya do. See here," she pointed to the screen, to a digital illustration of what looked to be DNA strands, ladders of different colors, some of them coinciding. "Ya see the similarities?"

"I do." he said as he propped himself with his arm on the edge of her desk

"That's my own code beside that of a common chimp." she nodded, then made another flurry of keystrokes, changing the image, though in some ways it stayed the same. Two codes, two digital recreations of the building blocks of life. Then a quiet moment, her head turning to check his face. "Now here?"

"I see that...but what am I looking at now?"

"The strand on the left is what I could surmise of Miss Fang's genetic profile." she adjusted her glasses.

Cid smiled a little. "You're getting awfully excited, Moira. Go ahead and tell me the rest."

She almost smiled as she turned back to her computer. "The other strand is an example of _canis lupus_."

"Wait," he knew his Latin, "wolves?"

"The Gray Wolf, t'be more specific."

"Moira," he straightened, crossing his arms as his brow knitted. He looked more amused than interested. "Are you telling me humans could have evolved from...wild dogs?"

"Well nae, not all of us, clearly." she cleared her throat. "Though it's possible."

He nodded slowly, perhaps trying to take it in. "So...what does this mean?"

"Come now, Mr. Raines, I know you're smarter than that."

"Humor me." he chuckled.

She rolled her eyes with a huff, scowling a little. "It means we could 'ave an entire population out there, _millions_ even, with similar abilities. Enough ta be classified as a subspecies of its own. Given more time, I could possibly isolate the genetic variation that _makes_ humans L'Cie."

This made the minister's brows reach for his well kept sable hairline. "Really?"

She twisted her neck to look over her shoulder at him, though briefly. The setting of her eyes was answer enough.

"This is a very big deal, Moira."

"Naugh, ya think?" a token moment of sarcasm. "O'course I'd need more time...more samples."

"Of course. Still, that's really something. You'll keep me updated, won't you?"

"Naturally."

"Wonderful. You know...you deserve a vacation."

"Aye," she smirked, "iffin' I wanted one."

"Not even a week to go home, visit the family?"

"They'd 'ave ta wanna see me."

He shook his head, mildly frustrated, but laughed a little in spite of it. "Can't I do anything?"

"Aye, ya could stop with yer pesterin'. An' a bag of those wee candy fish would be nice."

"Oh, is _that_ all? What am I going to do if you bring home a Nobel?"

"I'm likely ta ask for a truck full."

Cid shook his head again._ Gods this woman. If she wasn't so good..._ "Even if that be the case...you've got to get out of this office sometime."

"Oh aye, but not now, I'm busy."

"As always. Was there anything else you wanted to show me?"

"Nae at the moment." she adjusted her glasses again, closing the current window on her computer and opening another. "How's she adjustin', by the way?"

"I think Miss Fang is fitting in very well. Sure, her idea of teamwork and subtlety could use some...fine tuning, to say the least...but I think everything is going to work out."

"And what of the elder Farron?"

"Nothing yet. Though I'm keen to leave her be for now. I'm sure she'll get in touch with me if she needs to."

"Though I suppose you're keepin' an eye on 'er at least?"

"Naturally." he nodded once, a downward snap of his chin. "Well, I'll leave you to your work, doctor. And thank you for taking the time to show me your findings."

"You're welcome, Mr. Raines."

"And I'm serious, get out of this office for a while. The sunshine won't kill you." and he caught her sour gaze as she slipped through the door and closed it behind him.

Moira would do the single most childish thing she could think of and stick her tongue out, never mind that he wouldn't see it.

_(III)_

Three weeks.

Three weeks undisturbed and alone. For Lightning, that was just what the doctor ordered. She only left the house once, actually twice, and that was to pick up some groceries. Otherwise she was at home, in her pajamas, such as the second time, when it wasn't so cold that she couldn't enjoy her coffee on the back deck. Days at a time pissed away on the couch napping between documentaries and news flashes, then maybe a rousing romp through the cabinets for a few choice bits of junk food. Lightning, junk food? Oh yeah, this girl could put away some doughnut holes. On what could be called the apex of her lazy binge she ate a pound of them, powdered sugar in a white crescent around her mouth, and then went right to sleep on the sofa. Didn't wake up again until just before midnight. The best part of that was that she didn't care. No fucks given that she wasted an entire day.

That was perhaps a week and half in. After that, cabin fever came knocking. Though, even at its worst, she still didn't set a single foot out the front door. Instead she would turn the TV to a music channel and go through a predictable routine of exercises. Pushups, situps, the usual. It curbed the itch to venture out, something she simply hadn't the mood to do. And near the end of those three weeks, perhaps in the last day or two, Lightning went through her routine, took a shower, toweled off just enough to count and then went to bed. Naked, not a care in the world, twisted up in the sheets by the time she woke again. And in the same fashion did she adjourn to the kitchen to start a fresh pot of coffee...minus the sheets.

Although, after all of that, Lightning would find herself mildly surprised that no one called. She had expected, perhaps in a small way, that Serah would contact her at the very least. Even Fang. She wasn't all too saddened by the absence of the latter, not in any hurry to answer questions the L'Cie might have for her.

_Probably too busy getting in Lebreau's pants to dial a phone._

Lightning mentally scolded herself. That was no way to think. None of her business anyway. Besides, it wouldn't exactly kill her to take the initiative and call Serah. Somehow she got up the gumption to actually track down her phone and start dialing the number.

Halfway through she heard the front door open from her bedroom.

"Anyone home?"

Lightning's head turned at the sound of her mother's voice. "Just me," was her partial response.

"Claire? I didn't know you were back in town."

Lightning worked her way towards the living room, number still half dialed, and spotted her mother upon emerging from the hall.

Rachel Farron was in her early forties, fit, younger seeming than she actually was, and her eldest daughter greatly favored her appearance. She put down her suitcase so she could hug her daughter, whom she hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

"What happened with the new job, hon?"

"It kind of...fell through." Lightning answered somewhat cautiously. "Did you enjoy your trip?"

"Oh yes, it was wonderful." she nodded, "Keith and I had a great time."

Lightning had a curious look on her face. She had yet to meet the new boyfriend, in fact it was the first time she had heard his name.

"That's right," Rachel pulled away, realization dawning on her. "You two haven't been introduced."

Keith Banister would appear moments later, suitcases in his hands. He was a tall, slender and bony man looking in his early fifties. Maybe if he had some hair on his head he would've looked a bit younger. He made up for that with a jet black goatee and somewhat bushy eyebrows. He and Lightning shook hands once he had a free one.

"Rachel talks about you girls all the time," he smiled and said.

"Speaking of which, where's your sister? She's usually here,"

"Conference." Lightning answered quickly, expecting her mother to believe it without much trouble. Which she did. "I was about to call her, actually."

Rachel nodded. "Could you help us with the last bag first, darling? It's just one,"

"Sure." Lightning went out the front without shoes and without delay, shivering a little at the cold air.

Keith looked at Rachel, grinning as he picked up the bags he dropped. "She looks just like you," he said. There was something off about that smile, but Rachel didn't appear to notice.

Outside, Lightning rounded her mother's car to the still open trunk, dialing out the rest of the number as she walked, her head down. She put the cell to her ear before reaching for the bag and pulling the lid shut. It only rang once.

_"Speak, mortal."_

It was certainly Serah's voice, but that was a very unfamiliar tone. "Is it a bad time?"

_"Hey Lightning,"_ her tone changed to something lighter, less intense. _"Enjoying your vacation?"_

"What are you doing?"

_"Nothing much, just in a practice session with a bunch of noobs in Diamond Mercenaries. It's a massacre."_ and there was a bit of a sadistic giggle at the end that her older sibling found unsettling. _"What can I do for you?"_

"I just wanted to touch base with you. Mom and Keith are back from their trip." The man's name felt funny in her mouth, like it just wasn't natural.

_"Everything okay?"_

"Sure it is."

_"What was his last name again? I don't think mom ever told me."_

"Banister." Lightning then rolled her eyes. "You're not going to do a background check on him, are you?"

_"What could it hurt?"_

"And you say I have trust issues."

_"You do._"

Lightning was shaking her head as she stepped back into the house, shaking off the chill. She took the phone from her ear for a moment. "Mom, where do you want it?"

"Just put it my room, hon. Are you talking to Serah already?"

"Yeah."

"Tell her I said hello,"

"I will." and she started down the hallway.

_"Mom say hello?"_

"Yeah."

_"Tell her I love her. And hug her for me too."_

"Serah-,"

_"I don't care if you don't do hugs. Do it anyway. For Etro's sake, she's your mom."_

"Yeah, yeah." and in spite of her lackluster compliance, she was quick to the kitchen to relay the message in its entirety, hug included to Rachel's pleased surprise.

"Thank you, hon," Rachel laughed a little, pausing her perusing of the cabinets. "You know, the only thing I hate about you coming home is that you eat everything."

_"Amazing how you're ass isn't the size of the house."_ A comment that Lightning would ultimately ignore, giving it no more than a mild scowl.

"Let me get my wallet, I'll pay for dinner."

"You don't have to do that," Rachel protested.

"It's all right. I want to." and she disappeared again, her wallet stuffed in her duffel in her bedroom.

_"Lightning?"_

"What?"

_ "You wouldn't happen to be alone right now, would you?"_

"More or less. In the next room, why?" She didn't like too much how Serah's tone changed again. Didn't like the sound of it.

_"Background check came back."_

Lightning felt herself stiffen. "What did you find?"

_"I'm still looking."_ another pause, longer. _"He's one of them, Light. He's One."_

"One what?"

_"No, no, I mean he's Weapon One! You've got to get mom out of the house."_

"Working on it." and that wasn't far from the truth.

_"I've already got help on the way. Looking at thirty minutes before they get there."_

"Who's coming?"

_"Voodoo and Razorback._"

Lightning nodded, having found her wallet and put it in her back pocket. Though she didn't leave the room straight away. She went searching for her sidearm. "So what kind of mess am I looking at?"

_"Still looking. PSICOM's got this guy's info buried pretty deep. I would keep my distance in any case. Play it safe."_

"Naturally." she found her pistol in the top dresser drawer, where she always kept it when she was home for a while. It was already loaded. She pulled up her shirt and stuffed it into the back of the waistband of her jeans. "I think I can hold him off for a half hour."

_"And I would believe you if I knew you could talk your way out of a paper bag. Something is bound to be broken in fifteen minutes."_

"Give me some credit."

_"I would if I could, sister dear, but I'm not a miracle worker. But I'm going to let you go, just in case someone's trying to piggy back...be careful."_

"You got it." and she heard the click of her sister hanging up. Lightning had to swallow a small lump in her throat as she left the room. She crept back in the kitchen with all the grace and ease of someone who didn't know they had a potential disaster sitting at the dinning table. She fished out her wallet again and passed a fifty gil note to her mother. "This should be enough."

"Oh, okay, hon," Rachel made a face, as if it was too much. "Where would you like me to go?"

"Anywhere, I'm paying, you pick."

"Do you want to come along?"

"Not this time. I'm kind of enjoying being a homebody."

"Keith?"

"Actually, Rachel, I think I'll stay. Be a good chance for Claire and I to get acquainted." and he smiled at her from the table.

"Oh...all right, if you insist. I'll be back after a while." And Rachel retrieved her purse, her keys, and went on her way. Lightning found herself breathing a little easier once she was gone. One less thing to worry about.

"So Rachel tells me you travel a lot for work?" Keith's voice echoed from the dinning room.

"Yeah." she managed into the dinning room, leaning against the wall. _Don't let on I know. Though by that look on his face...chances are he's suspicious of it already. He probably knows exactly who I am._

"And you served in Figaro?"

She nodded.

"I lost a cousin in Figaro."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

He nodded also, slowly, his hands laced together atop the table. "Well, you didn't blow his brains out, did you?"

Well, that was a somewhat loaded question. She may very well have. "I was only on tour there for a year and a half."

"Hell, you may have never even seen him in that case. He was deployed shortly before the big get-up-and-go."

"I had been transferred by then."

Keith nodded again. Lightning had to wonder if he realize how closely she was watching him. Watching his body language, his hands, almost subconsciously looking for the tattoo she knew was on his body somewhere. It was actually on his left shoulder blade, hidden beneath his shirt and coat.

"You want something to drink?" Lightning asked, trying not to sound awkward.

"No thanks, I'm good." he smiled at her, in a way that was wide but didn't show his teeth. "So what did you do for your last job? Go anywhere exotic?"

"Near Aggra. Just a security detail. Nothing special."

"Sounds like you can't tell me much more."

"Not really. Kind of sensitive."

"Been there, done that." he chuckled.

Lightning's brow knitted. "And you do?"

"I'm an authority on rare diseases. If someone coughs funny, they usually call me."

"Sounds like you travel a bit yourself."

"Sometimes."

"How did you meet my mother?"

"At the airport during a layover. We just started talking really. She's a sweet lady. Very classy."

_Gods...thirty minutes never seemed like forever._

"So what happened with your last assignment? You said fell through?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Can't tell me anything else?" and he smirked knowingly. "That's okay. Though I saw something on the news a few weeks ago about a forest fire around that area."

"Something like that." Light cleared her throat gently.

"You'd think PSICOM could come up with a more convincing cover-up, huh?"

She felt herself stiffen. "What's that?"

"Oh give me a break, kid, I'm not stupid. I work for them too, so naturally I know the truth. In fact, we've been looking for you for a while now."

Her back went rigid.

"We thought Thirteen shredded you like she did all those other boys. Or maybe you went up in flames. Nope, guess not. Wonder how you made it out in one piece..."

Her heart rate was up, pounding against her ribs. She took a breath. "Guess you got my number."

"PSICOM's got everyone's number, sweetheart. So why don't we cut the shit and just get right to it. Where's Thirteen?"

"What makes you think I know?"

"You survived. You've gotta know something. So just go ahead and spill it."

"I don't know."

He stood up with a shrug, the legs of the chair squawking against the floor as it slid back. "Can't say I believe you, kid. Better try again, and you had best be more convincing this time."

_Gods damn it all. Has it been a half hour yet?_ Lightning adjusted her posture, no longer leaning with both hands in the back pockets of her jeans. She didn't take her eyes from him for a second as she moved, and he didn't even blink.

"All you've got to do is tell me what happened, where she is."

"Or else what?"

"Well, to be quite frank, I'll be forced to get a little...unpleasant. I don't think you _or_ Rachel would be too happy if that were to happen."

"Threatening me won't change my answer."

"Really? Well shit, that usually works." he started to round the table, moving his feet with no apparent hurry. "This doesn't have to be as difficult as you're making it."

"You're right." she drew her sidearm in a flash of movement, practiced, routine, flawless. She didn't like how close he was getting to her. "Let's simplify things: you leave, or I shoot."

Keith put his hands up, though he was still smirking. "Sweetheart, believe me, you're not fast enough. And once you run out of bullets, all you've got is me. Then you're gonna wish you had one more to put between your eyes."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Oh I'm not expecting you to be. But these," and he wriggled his fingers. "you might want to find some concern for."

Then there was a pounding knock at the front door, a sound that neither of them physically acknowledged, unwilling to look away.

"Door's open," Lightning called without a stray movement.

There was a rumble, the door slamming against the wall of the hall as they came in. With a rush they appeared in the dinning room, where the paused, somewhat surprised it seemed. Perhaps they were expecting a mess. Or a body.

"He didn't touch you, did he?" Voodoo asked, not sounding so much concerned as curious.

"No." Still Lightning didn't move. "Now would someone be so kind as to explain?"

"Might as well," Keith rolled his eyes. "My call sign is Contagion. I'm also called One, and I can give you any crud that's ever crept up a man's back." and he seemed rather proud of it, considering the constant smirk.

Lightning felt a new wave of anxiety wash over her. He could do that...

"I know that look. Don't worry, kid, you're mom's fine. While I've had the opportunity," he chuckled. "I didn't even know you were her daughter until PSICOM tipped me off to you."

Somehow that failed to make her feel any better.

"Let's cut the crap. You're coming with us, buddy," Razorback growled, but then made a massive mistake. He put a hand on him. And perhaps the severity of that gesture would make more sense if I had mention that One was a black sash in Kung Fu a little sooner.

And he was fast, as fast as he had claimed. He moved in a blink, slipping free of his jacket -which Razorback had a tighter grip on than his shirt- and tucking beneath his fellow L'Cie's arm. Too fast for anyone to react, Keith twisted in a whip-like manner smacking his palm into the middle of Gadot's chest, enough force behind the blow to put the brute on the floor.

Moving along with his momentum, working in a circle, One went after Voodoo, decking him in the jaw hard. Then he went after Lightning. He was still moving so fast, everything seeming to bleed together, she didn't know how to react. She'd never seen anyone move like that. She could only think enough to point and shoot. Two rounds which missed their mark before she felt a blow to the middle of her chest. There was a bright, abrupt flash of light that seemed to come from One's fingertips, and she felt her blood go cold for a split second as she hit the floor. Before she could orient herself again, even lift her head, she could feel pain. In her chest, deep, in her lungs. They started spasming. She couldn't breathe. And when she tried, it felt she was breathing through a drinking straw.

"So you got NORA after me? Really? You're with these do-gooders? Damn, kid, I thought you had some brains," he stood over her, looking down his bony nose at her, watching her gasp for air. He noticed that her pistol was too close for his comfort, so he kicked aside as he took a step closer, kneeling down. "Doesn't feel too good, does it?" One was whispering now. "I bet you're starting to panic, heart's pounding, getting a little scared? Yeah. But don't worry, soon you're going to get tunnel vision and pass out. But you're still going to suffocate. That is, unless you tell me what I want to know. Then I'll make it all better. So just tell me where Thirteen's hiding."

Even if she wanted to tell him, she wouldn't have been able to speak.

"Pick on someone your own age, pal,"

One was torn away, pulled to the floor, and Voodoo pinned him there and began returning that smack to the chin in spades. One was putting his hands on him, any bare skin he could manage to touch, flashes of light flickering through the room. But it didn't look like Voodoo was showing any symptoms of anything.

One managed to get his feet to Voodoo's chest, pushing with all his strength and lifting the L'Cie off his feet, up into the air, and onto the dining table with a loud crash. One was on him in a second, hitting him where it hurts with blows heavy enough to resound through the house. One sound strike to the chest snapped the table down the middle, putting Voodoo back on the floor amongst a nest of wood slivers. One grabbed a large splinter of the table, sharp edged and knife like, and aimed for the heart. Voodoo kicked him in the face, sent One stumbling back, blood gushing from his nose.

Razorback was on his feet again and tried to take One from his blind spot. He got his massive arms around him, pulled him off his feet, but that didn't make his situation any better. One threw back his head, breaking the L'Cie's nose, and once he was on his face again, grabbed his wrist. Another flash of light, the One twisted him around, snapped his arm at the elbow, and then put him back on the floor.

Voodoo rammed into One, the two disappearing into the darkness of the corridor. He had a hold of the weapon's shirt, fisted in a deathgrip.

"Why aren't you hurting, old timer? I've given you the worst shit I can think of!" Like _Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva_. That should be the worst _anyone_ is willing to think of. "You should be dead!" sweat rolled down his shiny forehead, rippled over the fury lines in his face.

"You don't know me, pal," Voodoo snarled. "They call me Voodoo Man, what I get, I can give back."

One laughed. "Then the joke's on you. I'm immune."

Then Voodoo's face went very grim, dark, but quietly so. "Guess I'll have to give ya somethin' that isn't a disease."

"No such thing!"

"You wanna bet?" and he quickly let go of his shirt and put his hands firm to his face. "Try _old age_!"

And it was horrible. Watching age at its normal rate was hard enough, try watching it ten times as fast. Forty years passing from one man to another in course of forty seconds. Skin dimmed, spotted, stretching with age, hair turning gray, eyes glazing over with the onset of cataracts. Muscles shriveling, weakening, and all One could do was lay there in his bitter lament as he went from almost fifty to almost ninety. And Voodoo gave back all the injuries One had laid on him, which were several bruised ribs, one broken, and a dislocated jaw.

As frail as One was now, that was too much for him to handle. Too much shock to an old man. It killed him. Certain it had, Voodoo stood, and you could see the change in him. Lightning would see it right away as he knelt beside her, helped her sit up She still couldn't breathe, her face red and eye's half lidded with dizziness. Her eyes went wide at the sight of him. He looked like he was twenty!

"Good gods," she gasped. "Is he..."

"Your mom's not gonna like it, but yeah. Needless to say I don't think it's safe here for your family here any longer."

She nodded, or tried to. Her face was beat red, sweating.

"You need to try and calm down. I think the creep gave ya asthma or somethin'."

"Damn it. Is Gadot okay?"

Then his brow lifted, not as many lines in his forehead as there used to be. "Oops. Almost forgot. I'll check on him, but best try to get your shit wired because we're not stayin' much longer."

"Yeah. I get it." and while she understood the need for the rush, she sat for just a minute. Giving herself just a few seconds to accept everything that had just happened. Etro's Grace, it was _that_ easy for PSICOM to find her, to get in her home. She shuddered to think what else they could do given time, without the happenstance that brought One into the equation.

Lightning had her cellphone in her pocket, fished it out, and quickly dialed a number. It didn't even ring once, not completely, before it was picked up.

_"Raines speaking."_

"Cid." she took a breath, too short of one to let him answer. "I'll take the job."

Author's Note: One was a little lackluster, I know, but it wasn't like he was meant to play a large part anyway. And don't think of his number as his rank. There will be more action in the chapters coming up, and probably more on our favorite pairing, though likely not as much as you readers want. In any case, big stuff going on here at home, so you might have to wait a little longer than usual for your next chapter. Love you guys, and wish me some luck!


	11. Chapter 10

**XIII**

**Chapter Ten**

Caius watched them leave from his hiding place. His sharp sense of hearing was enough to pick up the commotion inside the house, plenty of information to put together what happened. One was most certainly dead. Like he had expected. Don't misunderstand, he considered assisting One with sincerity, but found no suitable argument to do so. It would've made too much of a mess, and Thirteen didn't appear to be anywhere near here. No scent, no trace of her. Just the previously presumed missing Commander Farron. And while she was rather important to PSICOM, she wasn't important to _him_. Not at this time, which is why he would keep her his own little secret for now. So he sat back, tucked away in shadow, listening, waiting. And he was certainly less than surprised to discover NORA's presence. It would surprise him even less if he knew of their total participation in this situation.

He saw the three of them come out the front door, the largest one, propped on the shoulders of the other two, not looking very well at all. It left Caius mildly curious as to what ailment One passed to him. And Farron didn't appear to be doing so well either. The trio piled into the navy sedan, leaving in a hurry. Caius reached for his phone, called his superior, and informed them with no noticeable sentiment of the terrible news.

_"You were supposed to assist him."_

"It would appear that I arrived too late. Besides, Thirteen is not here. However you should know that NORA is now involved."

_"Damn it."_ Nabaat hissed from the other end. _"So where are they headed?"_

"How should I know?"

A grumble. _"Who did they leave with?"_

"Well...he _was_ an older black man. Now he's not so old."

The line was quiet for a moment. _"I think I know where they're going. Collect what's left of One and head back to the outpost."_

"Very well." and then he hung up, knowing if she had anything else to say she would surely call him back.

He ducked out of his hiding place, a collection of well trimmed bushes across the street, and strolled across the asphalt as if he belonged there. Walked into the Farron household as if he'd been invited. He paused but a moment to make note of the mess, the shattered table, and then turned his head to see One's corpse in the floor of the hallway. Caius barely recognized him, he was shriveled and old, what little hair he had having gone white. Though you wouldn't have seen the mild surprise on his face over it, his features unmoving. Like he'd seen worse. Which we'll just assume he has, as it would also explain the total lack of reverence as he plucked the former weapon's body from the floor and slipped out the back door. There was a car waiting a few block down, which he reached in mere minutes, which wouldn't have taken so long if didn't have to sneak about.

_(–)_

Lightning would still have a vice-like tightness in her chest by the time the sedan pulled to a stop in Mr. Katzroy's driveway, the glow of the headlights the only way to see. Her mind was in a tizzy as well, unsure of what was the most unsettling: knowing she was sick but unaware of the severity, how Mr. Katzroy seemed to steadily revert back to his original state -now appearing to be in his late twenties or mid thirties, or that Gadot had been far too still and far too quiet for the last handful of hours.

What was wrong with him?

She would glance over her shoulder, into the back seat where the brute was laying, sweat shimmering on his skin and a languidness having come over him. There was a dimness to his eyes.

And that wasn't the worst of it. What about her mother? Was she all right? Or had PSICOM already made her disappear? Lightning couldn't risk trying to call her, but she could barely stand to sit here and think it to death.

"Can you help me get him inside?" Sazh had already stepped out of the car and was leaning in the doorway, looking at her.

She nodded suddenly, perhaps his request pulling her free of her worries for a moment. She hurried out of her seat, almost kicking the passenger door open. By the time she came to his side, Sazh already had Gadot by the shoulders, pulling him out of the vehicle. A breathy groan eked out of the brute, his eyes open but only partially so. The hume and the other L'Cie had him on their shoulders, walking him up the last of the gravel, then the porch, then through the door. The two led him to the sofa and laid him town, pausing only a moment as he rolled onto his side and then went still again.

"Now what?" Lightning had to ask.

"We'll get back to Muir as soon as we can. We might be safe here for the night, but we best move once we're able. I need to make some calls."

"Is that safe? What if they've tapped the line."

"They can't tap a telepath." he grunted, leaving the room.

It was mere seconds after that Light felt her pocket buzzing. Part of her panicked, the part of her that hurried to answer, but that same part found a little comfort at the sound of her sister's voice.

_"Are you okay?"_

"Is it safe to talk?"

_"Freak is connecting us. We're good. Are you all right?"_

"Could be worse," then Lightning coughed. "He gave me something,"

_"I know. Big Boss has been looking out for you, good thing too. He's talking with Voodoo right now. We're going to get you guys some help."_

"I don't think we have that kind of time. PSICOM could be here any minute."

_"They're already there. Maybe twenty of them."_

Lightning felt herself flinch, her body tightening.

_"But everything's going to be okay. You're in the best hands you could be right now."_

She tried to breathe, finding it difficult, and not for the reason you'd think. "How long before help arrives?"

_"Don't know just yet, depends on when Big Boss can get a hold of them. But I know Voodoo can handle things until then. Just have some faith, okay?"_

"I'm trying." another cough. "Do you know if mom's okay?"

_"It'll get taken care of, don't worry. Just get back in one piece."_

"I won't make any promises. Not this early. But...I've gotta go."

_"Be careful."_ and that's when the connection was terminated.

Mr. Katzroy reappeared shortly after, seeming just as calm as when he'd left, though just a tad older. "Help's comin'." he said with a nod.

"Angel just told me. I hope they're bringing a tank."

"We won't need one, we just need a quick way out, and that's what we're getting."

Light felt her body tighten again, her fingers curling into fists. Her eyes darted thrice, directions random in her uncertainty. "She said there are twenty PSICOM waiting for us outside."

"Yeah, I know. Things could get pretty nasty." and he didn't seem the least bit bothered. "Want some coffee?"

She gave him this look, almost begging to know if he was serious. "No. Thanks."

"Suit yourself."

How the hell does he manage to think about coffee at a time like this? Light just couldn't manage to wrap her head around it. Sure, she wasn't exactly panicking over the current situation, but he seemed to just give not a single fuck at all.

Lightning found her quiet astonishment interrupted by a sudden, air tearing _SNAP_ that resounded throughout the ground floor of the house. Like a circuit breaker blowing, but all the lights stayed on, what few were at the time. Light jumped a little, head twisting this way and that to see what just happened. Did PSICOM have snipers out there?

"Mr. Katzroy?"

Well, if that was a sniper, it was the worst one ever.

"Mr. Katzroy, are you here?"

That snapping sound hadn't come from the ground floor as Light originally thought, it had come from the top of the stairs, the sound echoing from the open stairwell and creating the illusion of its point of origin. Light heard footsteps, though not heavy ones, whoever it was might have been barefoot. In fact, they were, and in what looked to be their pajamas. It was a young woman, maybe twenty give or take, with short blond hair and an almost button nose. The girl reached the foot of the stairs and happened to look into the living room in search of Sazh, discovering Lightning instead.

"Oh, hi," her tone of voice and expression belied the sense that she hadn't expected to see Light.

"Sazh is in the kitchen." Light replied, foregoing the usual niceties. "Making coffee."

She giggled. "He drinks it too much, it's not good for him. Oh, by the way, name's Alyssa."

"Lightning."

"Okay," she nodded, "Big Boss mentioned you."

"You part of NORA too?"

"Not officially." she giggled again, though lesser this time. "But I lend a hand on occasion."

Before another word could pass between them, there was another air splitting sound, this time sounding very much more like that of Lightning's original concern. A distant _bang_, broken glass, and Mr. Katzroy swearing from the kitchen. Without a second thought the two women went at break-neck speed to the kitchen, finding Sazh standing there in the mild glow of the stove light, a big brown stain across the stomach of his white shirt. He seemed unharmed, but far less than pleased at the coffee pot in his hand that dripped, the gut of it destroyed to leave his just warming brew splashed across the floor. Looks like he forgot rule number one when you're in a surrounded building. Stay away from the windows.

"Okay." he breathed, growling a little. "This means war."

"Uh-oh," Alyssa looked wide eyed at the mess. Then swallowed. "H-hi, Mr. Katzroy."

His expression changed briefly, a little surprised. "That was fast. I wasn't expectin' you for at least another minute."

"I'd have been here sooner if it wasn't the middle of the night. Big Boss said you guys needed a quick getaway."

"Sure do. You can start with the big guy in the living room."

"Where is he headed?"

"HQ. You know where that is?"

"I can find it," Alyssa's pajamas had pockets in the seat of them, and she reached back to one and pulled out a touchscreen phone. One of those newfangled ones all the young kinds and yuppies seem to have these days. And it was _loaded_ with the latest from Moogle Maps. "Just gimme the coordinates."

Lightning watched, listened, mind going back and forth in wonder of how this girl was going to get them out of here without getting the lot of them pumped full of lead. I mean, could she fly? If that were the case, there wasn't a chance in hell she'd be able to carry all of them.

After tapping in the numbers, one of Alyssa's brows lifted. "It's the middle of Bismark Bay...you're sure this is right?"

"It's right," Sazh nodded, dropping the useless pot in the sink. "Trust me."

"Okay, but it may take me a few minutes to get back."

"I can buy you a few minutes."

"Alright." though she didn't sound so sure.

Lightning would follow Alyssa back to the living room, watch from the threshold as she crouched beside the sofa. She put a hand on Gadot's shoulder, checked her phone one last time, and then there was a loud _SNAP _as she simply...disappeared. Though Lightning didn't flinch, or even jump a little. Maybe she'd finally excepted that shit had gotten weird, and it was only going to get worse. No point in overreacting. She shook her head slightly, then turned towards the footsteps that drew near to her.

"They've made it pretty plain they don't intend for us to leave. Not in one piece anyway." Sazh grumbled, still brushing his hands at the coffee stain on his shirt.

"So we just wait?'

"Looks to be the only option. That is if they give us the time. They could storm the place any second."

"I'm surprised they haven't already." Light sniffed.

"Nah, that's too much work for 'em. They'll wait for a while yet, see if one of us is dumb enough to take a stroll out that door. Then they'll move in once they get tired of waiting...might still be getting orders from their superiors about who's home."

"PSICOM knows about you?"

"Not everything, but nobody does an' I like to keep it that way." his brow lowered over his eyes as he crossed his arms. "Still, they know enough to worry."

After seeing what Mr. Katzroy had done to Keith, she could assume that PSICOM knew as little as his name.

"What if Alyssa doesn't make it back in time?"

"She'll make it, she's never let me down before." he nodded. "At the very least she can get you out before things get bad. No need worryin' about me."

And she'd believe it. "So she just...disappears?"

"Not exactly. Reference teleportation. If she can see it on a map, she can get there. Though, needless to say the further away it is, the longer it takes to get there."

"Naturally."

"Still...maybe we'll get lucky and be outta here before they catch on."

Then, without missing a beat, there was more broken glass splashing across the floor, a small hole appearing near Mr. Katzroy's feet. He only scowled at it. "Gods damn it all. I dare say I've had enough." And with all the casual purpose of a walk in the park, Mr. Katzroy started towards the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Just sit tight and wait," he put out his hand when he saw her step towards him, try to stop him. "Go with Alyssa, I'll catch up."

The teleporting L'Cie in question would be but seconds behind the words, the _SNAP_ tearing the air just as the front door clicked closed. And all Lightning heard before Alyssa grabbed her arm was a maelstrom of gunfire.

Then she was overcome with the sensation of every molecule being hurled into a blender, scattered by the exhaust of a 747, and then dropped to the floor with all the force of ten tons. Her knees buckled out from under her once she felt solid again, putting her on her backside and then her back. She felt like throwing up. Her eyes were open, but everything was blurred, spinning. She tried to roll onto her side, step one to getting to her feet, but felt like all she succeeded in doing was pulling one leg in a sluggish way to cross over the other.

"Ah, Miss Farron, glad that you could join us." Cid came to stand over her, his hands behind his back, in a t-shirt and sweatpants as he had recently woken up. You could see the few hours of sleep he'd gotten in the muss of his hair.

"Oh god," she almost choked. "Feel like my guts are falling out,"

"Yes, it can be a little...rough the first few times. Here, let me help,"

Somehow she found the hand he offered and gripped it, mentally begging for her muscles to obey her demand to move. Sitting up now, good, that's a start. Now to your knees, even better. They're wobbling a bit as you stand up, but they're still holding. Just stand straight and don't vomit on your new boss.

"Just take a few deep breaths, it'll pass,"

She felt his steadying palm on her back, partially leaning against it as if to test. One last surge of nausea would hit her before the disturbance passed, leaving her able again. "Mr. Katzroy," was the first words out of her mouth.

"Alyssa went back to get him."

"He's a lot of things, but I doubt he's _bullet proof_," her tone stiffened as she looked at Cid squarely.

"Well, no, not by definition."

_SNAP_.

Lightning gawked at the sight of Sazh. He was now back to the physical age that she recognized, some gray with deepened lines on his face. But now his shirt and pants were in shreds, full of holes and spattered with blood. Like a hailstorm full of lead went right through him. Though he appeared unharmed. Seemed the worst of it was suffered by his clothing and his demeanor.

"I take it everything went...as well as we could've expected?" Cid addressed him with a restrained grin.

"Yeah, for _me_," Sazh grumbled, pulling himself away from Alyssa's shoulder, where the girl had been partially supporting him. "Though PSICOM is gonna be lookin' for about two-dozen more nobodies come Monday."

Explanation? While Sazh can transfer ailments and years of his life into another person through touch, with enough focus and a clean line of sight he can pass on what hurts just by looking at someone, doubly so if they're the source of the infliction. And Mr. Katzroy has been alive for a long, _long_ time, more than long enough to train his eyes to track the flash of gunpowder out of a barrel, even in the dark. The bullets struck him, hit flesh, hence the blood on his shirt, but the wounds didn't manifest much further than that. It wasn't long after the first shot was fired that the last cracked the air and bodies started hitting the ground. When nothing appeared to be moving, Mr. Katzroy was content to sit on the bottom step of his porch, waiting for Alyssa to return.

"Can I get you anything, Sazh?"

"I just want to go to bed."

"Then I suppose you know your way around well enough, and at that I'll wish you goodnight." and the telepath simply stepped aside as his fellow L'Cie took his leave. "Thank you so much for you help, Alyssa. Sorry for calling so late."

"It's okay," she giggled softly. "I was glad to help."

"Would you like to stay here tonight? I know that many trips in one day can be trying for you. Not to mention the distance,"

"I'm fine, thanks though. I can make it home. 'Night." and she made a little wave before one last _SNAP_. Then she was gone again.

Lightning needed just a moment to process everything, to accept it all happened so fast. Then she looked at Cid. "You've got a lot of friends, don't you?"

"Pays to have them, all things considered." he nodded. "I suppose you'll be retiring as well? We have a dorm room ready for you."

"Um, not entirely," she stammered a little, perhaps surprised by his admission, "not exactly sleepy after all that." and she was still feeling a little queasy.

"Understandable. Care to just walk a while then? I imagine you might have some questions for me."

"How'd you guess?"

"Just lucky I suppose."

And the two began to walk. No purpose or intended destination, just sort of ambling through the empty corridors. Cid had been right though, Lightning had a small number of inquiries, mostly concerning what would become of her mother. Though another was how Cid had managed to arrange for help to arrive so suddenly this afternoon. Though she figured that one out before she even asked. Still, like it or not, Rachel was in some small way involved, and had undoubtedly garnered even a little of PSICOM's attention. And a little was too much for anyone. The minister assured Lightning that she would be safe.

"I'm making arrangements for Mrs. Farron with a close friend of mine in Nautilus. He needs a new event planner for his cruise line and it seemed like your mother's resume was more than adequate. At the very least it'll keep her under PSICOM's radar until we can find a more permanent arrangement. And while you may not approve," he paused a moment, "her memories will be altered so she can't expose us."

He expected the disapproving look he received from his newest employee.

"I wouldn't do it if I didn't find it necessary. Besides, it's only temporary. It's all for our safety, and your mother's as well." The look faded, though Cid could almost sense her lingering resentment. "But that aside for now...everything is nearly ready for you to join NORA. There's just a few things we'd like for you to look at, some equipment that's been designed specifically for your talents."

"Why does that make me feel more suspicious than comforted?"

"Good question." a small smirk. "In any case I'll be going over everything with you before I leave tomorrow."

"Back to Sanctum?"

"Yes, the senate will be returning from recess soon. While I'm sure they'd love to, they can't start without me."

"Aren't you special."

"Quite." a nod, a small laugh.

"How's Gadot?"

Cid took a deep breath, his brow knitting. "Violently ill, I'm afraid. Moira is doing the blood work now, so we should know something in a few hours. Though everyone else is as well as you can hope."

"Good to know." and you can imagine who in particular she was considering at the moment. No, not Serah.

"And I'm to understand that you're sick also?"

"Nothing serious."

"Mayhaps a doctor should be the judge of that?"

"It's just a cough. Something like that."

His expression flattened, an intensity settling in his steely eyes. "With all due respect, Miss Farron, I won't risk you possibly infecting the rest of my staff. So would you prefer to walk to Moira's lab or be escorted?"

"Christ," she shrugged a little. "I'm too tired to argue. Lead the way."

"Thank you. I'll have Hope paged directly to come have a look at you."

Now they strolled about the corridors with purpose, with direction. Maybe a minute passed by the time they had arrived, Cid opening the door to the laboratory for her. Ladies first and all that. There was an empty chair near Moira's desk that Lightning chose to slump into and where Cid saw fit to leave her, assuredly calling for to Hope with his mind on the way out.

Lightning sat quietly, patient, listening idly to Moira's quick keystrokes behind her.

"Yer ailin' too, then?" the older woman inquired.

Lightning turned her head, seeing Moira's face in the bright glow of her monitor. She appeared to have bags under her eyes large enough to hide a small country. "Do you ever sleep?"  
"Aye, when it suits me,"

"So...no."

"It's a good thing yer a mercenary an' nae a comedian."

The two almost laughed. Almost.

In time Hope would appear, though seeming in a partial state of sleepwalking. Still, he was able to run Lightning through the typical series of questions, getting her to walk him through her symptoms so far. As well as the usual preliminary tests, blood pressure, turn your head and cough -though not to its full extent- and so on. When she mentioned the persistent tightness in her chest he only nodded, a small "hmm" escaping him. He made his way to Moira's desk, took a rings of keys from beside the computer and knelt down to unlock a drawer. He pulled it back, his hand fumbling through the contents with less than what I would call precision, and pushed it closed once he had found a small bottle of pills. He put it in her hand after returning the keys and was once again standing near her.

"Take two...it'll reduce the swelling. Talk more in the morning." all this he relayed through his sleepy haze before he began to shuffle for the door, clearly meaning to return to bed. And no sooner was he out of sight did Serah materialize to fill in the empty space.

"Cid said you were here," the younger Farron rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn. "If body parts aren't fallin' off...I'll show you to your dorm."

"Nice to see you too," just a sarcastic quip as she stood.

They spoke very little on their short walk, just enough to reacquaint before saying goodnight. Turns out their dorms were right beside one another. Small world. Lightning would do as the good doctor suggested, take two capsules of the medication -some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory- and then gave a cursory glance to her room. Basic necessities at its best. A bed, an empty bookshelf, a small desk, and tall metal cabinet which she could only assume was meant for storing personal effects such as clothes.

No matter for the time being, it could all be addressed in the morning. Light regarded the idea of tomorrow with a heavy shrug as she laid down on the bed, hands beneath her head. It wasn't long before she dozed off.

Come the morning she would find that her creeping crud was indeed asthma. The prognosis wasn't terrible, but wasn't so great either. The anti-inflammatory drugs would have to do, coupled with an inhaler for sudden symptoms. There's no cure. It was now the new normal.

Gadot was not so fortunate. At least that's what everyone, that is the members of NORA, was thinking when they were called to Moira's lab. Lightning and Hope -having gone to her dorm to relay the diagnosis- were the last to arrive, the eldest of them showing genuine surprise to see Lebreau in tears when they came into the room. Maqui too. They'd missed the delivery.

Poor brute was dying.

AIDS.

Moira had taken off her glasses, leaning against her desk, eyes low. "At the rate his metabolism is pushin' it through...he might have a month. But even that's speculatin'."

The silence was suffocating. But what was there to say? There was nothing they could do, not even with all of Moira's know-how combined with Cid's bottomless pockets. Not enough prayers in the whole of Pulse could do a damn thing. Just that horrible game of hurry-up and wait for the inevitable. A death sentence.

"Um...question," Fang spoke up, one dusky brow raised. "What's everybody poutin' about?"

"I beg your _pardon_," Moira balked, looking at the L'Cie with narrowed eyes.

"Now don't get your bowels in an uproar." Fang put up her hands. "Lemme finish; ya got the gadgets ya need for a transfusion?"

"Aye, o'_course_ I do."

"Then let me give it a shot."

Moira's jaw dropped and she practically slapped her glasses back onto her face. "That's ludicrous! Ya wanna be catchin' it too, Yank?"

"So what? Isn't it worth the risk? 'Sides, I've done it before and it worked fine. And you can't expect me to believe you're not wondering if it'll work."

Hit MacTaggart where it hurts, make her curious. Though be damned if she'll admit to it.

For the longest time the L'Cie and the hume held quietly protesting gazes, as if the argument continued only in their minds. The others could only watch, breath bated. Fang would hold steady, calm, and _too right_ for Moira to ignore. With an aggravated huff and a habitual adjustment of her glasses she relented.

"Damned fool, 'ave it your way. But iffin' ya come out of this worse the wear, don' go blamin' me."

"Yeah, yeah, less talk more walk." Fang was smirking, seeming smug as she followed the geneticist. "Take five guys, I'll be a while."

And while the mood in the room had unanimously changed, it was still quiet. The lot of L'Cie just looked at each other, glances shifting to one another in equal measure. Whispered questions towards the possibilities of both the best and the worst.

Is this going to work?

Can she really do that?

What if he dies?

Though Lightning couldn't help but shake her head slightly, a gesture no one saw as it was so subdued. _Still so cocky_, she mused briefly, a memory trying to tip-toe its way into her conscious thoughts. The olfactory illusion of cigar smoke, phantom figments of the Laughing Wolf and that distant vision of flannel and denim and wile dusky hair. And that smug smirk. Cocky then, cocky now. Though the reminiscing was cut short, snuffed at Light's notice of the odd look Hope was giving her. Even if it was just a blink of a moment, had he sensed that subtle change in her emotional state? Well, her quiet comfort would've easily stood out in a room full of distraught L'Cie. How could he _not_ have picked up on it?

Hope saw her shove it down, felt, but it was too late. He'd caught her, but he couldn't discern the nature of just what he'd caught her doing. He had always perceived her to be rather...apathetic, but certainly not emotionally inappropriate. No chance she could be content with the news of Gadot's health. What had she been thinking? Clearly she wasn't _there_, not in mind. What he would give to be a telepath, if only for a second. Just to _know_. But since he couldn't _know_, he would think it to death for the next hour. Only pausing momentarily when Cid came to the lab some half hour into it, finding all of them still there.

He was in his suit now, hair tamed and looking to be on a mission. "Suppose everyone knows now." he sighed a little as he stepped in. "Is Moira still here? She asked me to come down,"

"Through there," Yuj pointed to the only other door with one finger, not looking up.

With a nod the minister went on his way, perhaps unaware that all of his employees watched him cross the room and go through the other door. They waited, everything still, then there was another short pop of sound from elsewhere, though nearby. It was another door opening and closing. Then there was a flurry of movement, the L'Cie all crowding to leave the room the same way their employer had. Lightning didn't know what to think, though would admit her piqued interest. She poked her head out of the door they left open, into another corridor lined with more doors. The NORA team had more or less piled up along the wall, near one of the doors at the far end, and seemed to wait while Yuj had his ear to the wall. Out of all of them he was the most likely to pick up anything going on inside. Like kids eavesdropping on mom and dad.

"What are they saying?" Maqui whispered, sniffling still.

"_Shh_," was Yuj's response, one hand raised.

_"You're getting ahead of yourself, Moira."_ was the first thing he was able to pick up.

_"Aye, mayhaps, but can ya blame me? Think of the possibilities, Mr. Raines."_

_ "I am, and to be frank, the possibilities are what scares me the most."_

_ "It's a _cure_, Mr. Raines, how could it?"_

_ "Think about it a little longer, Moira. Just entertain the worst case scenario for a moment."_

_ "I'm afraid I cannae do that, sir. All I can manage to consider are the thousands, if not millions of good and innocent people this disease kills every _day_. And not just AIDS, but any disease! Ya ever seen what cancer does to wee children?"_

_ "I have,"_ there was an audible shrug. _"But you're only seeing one side of the argument. Not that I don't find your feelings admirable. I understand it's in your nature to want to help people, to heal them, but you have to look at what _harm_ this sort of information could do if made public."_

For several minutes there was nothing.

"What are they saying?" Snow asked this time, sounding anxious.

"SHH!" was the response from everyone.

_"You need to think of those thousands, if not millions of good and innocent L'Cie that would be in danger. You know the humes would hunt them down. Are you willing to be responsible for putting people -even children- in cages? What about Fang? And all of those L'Cie like her? They'd be no better than cattle, every last one of them bled dry because humes are afraid to die. Don't try to make excuses for them, Moira, because you know as well as I do it would happen just as I described it. And I know for a _fact_ that isn't what you want."_

It went quiet again. But briefly.

_"I'm not going to stop you from exploring this route, to do the research you will do, in spite of what I might say to the contrary, but I _will_ see to it that a word of this doesn't leave this island."_

_ "So ya would keep it a secret? Let people suffer?"_

_ "To spare others? Yes. My kind has the right to ignore the plight of your kind to preserve ourselves, just as it is true for humes."_

_ "You're hoarding a miracle, Mr. Raines! It's cruel!"_

_ "And because of that I should simply overlook the many tragic casualties of the humes' cruelty on L'Cie? I should be the bigger man? No, Moira. A bigger man wouldn't just let go of some of the things I've seen."_

"Come on, what are they saying?"

Snow's second unwanted interruption garnered him a smack on the head, courtesy of Lebreau, after having softened the bones in her hand and wrist so as not to hurt herself should he go steelguard.

_CRACK_

Though that wasn't the sound it made. That particular commotion came from within the next room.

_"Augh, dinnae see that comin', Mr. Telepath?"_ Came Moira's snide snarl.

_"Actually no. But that's one of the reasons I like you, Moira. You have a habit of surprising me. Although, in all seriousness, do we have an understanding in the matter?"_

_ "Aye,"_ though she sounded less than agreeable to the idea. _"Ya know I hate it when yer right."_

_"You've made that quite plain. Still I appreciate your understanding. How's Gadot now?"_

_ "The reason I called ya was because I noticed almost immediate improvement, at least in his manner after perhaps fifteen minutes of beginnin' the transfusion. By now who's to say."_

_ "I'd very much like to have a look for myself if it's all the same to you."_

_ "Be my guest."_

Yuj could hear Cid's footsteps and that caused the pod of L'Cie to scatter, though it just wasn't a fast enough maneuver to keep from being caught. But Cid took it in stride, greeting them with a casual "good afternoon" as he tried no to laugh at the stumbling pile they had managed themselves into. Without missing a beat he strolled down the corridor, also acknowledging Lightning with a nod -she'd been lingering in the doorway all this time- before taking the last door and stepping into the room behind it. The others were swift to follow, Lightning and Moira brought up the rear.

Light would admit Gadot looked noticeably better, yet she hadn't seen him mere hours ago. As Moira had mentioned his heightened metabolism caused the disease to advance at an alarming rate, which had put him into the early stages of what's known as wasting just overnight. But now there appeared to be no traces of the notorious virus. He was sitting up, talking, his face full of color, even shook Cid's hand when he came in.

Lebreau wasn't so emotionally reigned in. She elbowed passed the lot of them, needed desperately some physical, perceivable proof that he was okay, that he wasn't going to shrivel up and die.

"See, doc? Told ya," Fang was smiling like a jackass from where she lay, an IV still in her arm, her fingers seeming content to drum against her stomach.

"This innae the end of it yet, missy. There's still the matter of makin' sure it's gone for good." Moira saw the L'Cie roll her eyes. "The big fella will need ta stay in quarantine until I'm certain."

"But I feel fine," Gadot protested gently, Lebreau's arms still locked about his neck.

"An' we'll be wantin' it ta stay that way." she cocked an auburn eyebrow and crossed her arms, watching him shrink a little at her new posture. The desired affect. Then her gaze shifted to Cid. "Shouldn't be but a few days more."

"Whatever you think is necessary, Moira. I trust you. You will keep me updated?"

"Naturally."

"Very good. And while I would love to stay longer, I'm afraid I need to be on my way. I have yet to give Miss Farron her orientation, but once I have I'll be headed back to the mainland."

Everyone said their goodbyes and farewells as he worked towards the door, Cid gesturing for Lightning to follow him as he passed her. As she turned to leave she caught a flurry of movement in the corner of her eye, enough to grab her attention if only for a moment. Lebreau had managed to pry herself away from Gadot, but only to latch onto Fang just as tightly, gratitude seeming to spill from her in happy tears and thank yous. Though Light would wish she had turned away then, wished she hadn't given enough of a damn to look in the first place. She should've just went on with Cid instead of pausing a second longer.

In the throws of outpouring Lebreau couldn't help herself, and crushed her lips to Fang's, arms woven about her neck in a much more secure fashion than she had with her other teammate. And Fang didn't protest. Knowing her ego, she was probably expecting the kiss as the very least she should get.

Hope winced as a hard shiver ran up his back, spasming in his shoulders as he partially turned on his heel. It had come from just beside him, where Lightning..._had_ been standing. Now she was gone, heading down the corridor with Cid. It was a sensation the empath had always associated with...sweet Etro...the realization came over his face, raising his platinum brows and widening his eyes.

With jealousy.

Author's Note: I kind of feel like this chapter was crap, kind of hodge-podge...but it's how things went I guess. My writer's block has been somewhat persistent, and what with work and now being an art student, it's been a bit harder to find time to give this fic my full attention. I still intend to finish it, rest assured, but it may not be everything I was hoping it to be. In any case, this marks the end of a transition period. From the next chapter on there will be more plot movement, action, and FLight. It's gonna be hot...at least that's what I keep telling myself. Thanks for all the support, everyone, you're the best!


	12. Chapter 11

**XIII**

**Chapter Eleven**

Lightning was only partially surprised to find out that the research center had lower floors. How could a place like this _not_ have at least half a dozen sub-basements? As she and Cid stepped on the elevator and started down he gave her a brief overview of them. Dry storage, cold storage, armory, recreation, engineering, and the last, lowest floor serving as a sort of bunker should the sum of all fears happen to come crashing down on the tiny island. Like a panic room.

Though the elevator would come to a gentle stop at the fifth floor, engineering. As the doors slid back the two of them stepped into the noise and ruckus of a busy workshop, where it appeared that the majority of the research center's other employees earned their keep. It looked like all of them were either building or repairing something.

She would follow Cid more than halfway across the floor's length, stopping at a table that had an array of items arranged on it. Her eyes seemed to zero in on a folded set of fatigues. They weren't completely black like her usual attire, but black with a sort of tattered patter of steel gray splotches as well as tones of navy thrown in. She recognized the bronze NORA insignia on the breast pocket.

"Your new uniform." Cid nodded. "It might be a little big, I had to guess your size."

"You? Guess?"

He chuckled. "I'm a telepath, not a miracle worker. But I also took the liberty of assuming that you prefer to work from a distance, or at the very least without being noticed until you _want_ to be, and had the pattern designed for you specifically. It's experimental, but I'm hoping to outfit the rest of the team with it should it make the grade."

"You're spoiling me."

"I try." a smirk. "There are some other little gadgets here that I'm hoping you'll wish to get familiar with," and one by one he went over them. It seemed like the usual fair for the sneaky sort. Smoke grenades, compact EMP mines -the size of fifty gil coin and with an adhesive patch on the underside for convenient placing-, steel caltrops mean to dissuade any pursuers. You know, ninja-type stuff.

"Awful fancy," Light mused as she studied one of the tiny mines a little closer.

"I thought so. Anything else you might need as far as armaments can be found in the armory, as I'm sure your needs will change with each mission. This is just a selection of the most practical I could think of."

"Good thinking."

"And I thought to have new boots designed for you also." the said footwear in question currently on the table beside his hand.

"What's wrong with the ones I have?"

"Not a thing, just thought you would like to try these. More experimental stuff." and he passed one to her, watching with mild amusement as her expression changed to total surprise as she held it.

"Light as air," she said, eyebrows reaching for her hairline. But then it changed again, flattening. "They won't last."

"They had better. I'll admit the leather isn't real, but those soles are insulated with a layer of Vibranium."

"Should I be impressed?" Never heard of the stuff.

"It's this new metal discovered in Figaro, it can -supposedly- absorb vibrations. I would imagine that to make your getting around somewhat easier, and the treads are designed to naturally roll when you walk as to reduce any sound."

"Okay...you got me." she nodded her apparent approval.

He nodded also. "And while I do my best to encourage a non-lethal approach to our assignments, I understand desperate times call for desperate measures. Maqui designed this for you personally."

Lightning looked up and saw what Cid was holding now and was curious almost immediately. Curious, though a little confused. "A little out of date, isn't it?"

"Not entirely." he was holding in one hand the hilt of what appeared to be an unnecessarily high-tech saber, the tip of the blade resting wide against his other palm. "This setting is probably best for close-quarters engagements, but it has another," and with a flick of his wrist it changed, the blade collapsing, folding back, revealing a barrel and a trigger. Now it was a gun. Lightning felt her jaw drop.

"The little guy made that?"

"Oh yes, and there are other things he's still working on. He was very excited about the possibility of you joining NORA. I believe he's taking a shine to you."

"What?"

Cid nodded. "He...how did he say it...ah, and I quote 'Miss Lighting is the shit'. And I can only assume it was a compliment as he was smiling like an idiot when he said it."

Light smiled a little, almost flattered perhaps. "He's a good kid."

Another nod, though this time he checked the watch on his wrist. He needed to be on his way, but there was still a few things he needed to cover. "You'll find everything you need to acquaint yourself with your new gear on the recreation level."

"Can't wait." and she meant that, you could seen eagerness in her eyes.

"Though there's one last thing I need to discuss with you, something rather important that I would prefer to remain between just us."

Her expression was curious as her eyes settle on his.

"What I'm about to tell you has only ever touched one other set of ears, and that's Mr. Esthiem's, and that is _only_ because he is the field commander and needs to know. That's how it needs to stay."

"If you say so."

"I almost feel a little guilty, but," he started with an uncustomary hesitation, "we were able to recover a few of the darts from the assignment in Aggra, and Moira has been reproducing a small collection of them for us to use. Only when necessary of course."

Light felt herself tense.

"As much as I have faith in Ms. Fang's ability to keep herself under control, I can't ignore the possibility that she could falter under the right circumstances. That's why I'm seeing to it that you and Hope will carry some of the darts on you whenever you are on assignment."

"Why me?"

"Because I believe you know best what we're up against. You've seen the worst of this...rage, as it has been described to me. You're the most familiar, so I trust your judgment should need arise. Not to mention you're the best shot...you and Moira."

"What?" that came out of nowhere.

"The woman has a trophy case, you should see it. But that's beside the point,"

"Why doesn't Fang know about this?"

Cid almost cringed. "I fear it would hinder her performance in the field. As dishonest as it may seem, I'm not willing to risk the others' lives just to maintain my integrity. Until we know, to the _nth_ degree, the exact nature of her...issues, I want to make sure there's a safety net for them."

Light didn't like it, it wasn't fair, but neither was her keeping secret what she was keeping secret. It was the same damn thing, only she was seeing it for herself instead of doing it.

"Although, if this is not something you can hold in confidence, I'll simply make it so you forgot we even had the conversation."

She set her eyes on him severely, narrowed, sharp. She could tell he wasn't in the least bit kidding. He'd do it in a heartbeat. Well, she decided, Cid was no bullshitter. And it was in her nature to respect that in people.

"I can." she said soberly. "I don't like it, but I can."

"I didn't ask you to like it." he replied honestly. "Just to keep it...no longer than we have to."

"But if she finds out sooner than that?"

"Then I'll handle it. You're just doing your job." he put his hands behind his back then, folded, and then began walking back towards the elevator. Lightning followed, perhaps thinking he would have more to say. Which he would, but not until they had started their ascent to the main floor.

"While I'm away, Mr. Esthiem has the final say on what assignments are accepted, unless of course he has direct orders from me. If for any reason he is unable to do so, it's decided on by a majority vote."

"You have a lot of trust in him."

"He earned it." Cid replied plainly. "And not to sound presumptuous, but you'll be expected to do the same, and not just from me but from your new teammates. You'll want to make the time to get accustomed to working with them. I hear they have group training sessions every evening. Though, then again," he paused, laughing at himself. "I would advise waiting until you got the cast off."

Light had almost forgotten she had one, her injured wrist not having bothered her for a while now.

The lift reached its destination and the doors slid back, allowing the pair to step into the more familiar corridors.

"Any other curiosities you might have will have to answered by someone else, as I am already running late." Cid paused, turning towards her and offering his hand. "On that note I'll bid you goodbye. As always you can call me if you need anything."

They shook hands, no further words exchanged, and she watched as he started on his own way, soon disappearing around the corner of the next corridor.

Lightning took a deep breath and let it out. No avoiding it now. She'd made her bed...time to lay in it, as uncomfortable as it would be in the beginning.

Though it wasn't as bad as she was expecting.

It reminded her very much of the first week of basic training when she enlisted. Equal parts confusing and nerve wracking, easily stressed out over, all because of unfamiliarity with the people around you. Not knowing what was coming, what to expect, how to trust in those you barely knew. It would be a shock for anyone, though Light appeared to take in stride as best she could. What difficulties she was experiencing were well hidden, only seeming to cross Hope, who would regard her with curiosity from time to time but go unnoticed.

The empath had a habit for seeing things others didn't, which I'm sure you've made note of by now. Though it wasn't really fair in this case since he was already watching Lightning, had been subtly since he felt that flash of jealousy from her. And while he was anything but stupid, he simply didn't want to believe the reasons he'd come up with to explain her sudden change in emotions. It just didn't...fit. Still he entertained the idea, let it frolic in his head for a day or two, and it only seemed to sicken him. But not for the reason you would think. He just...he needed to know for certain, and he needed to know why just as desperately. Though he would wait. The time would come, and all the while he would simply observe, gather information and do the mental math. Just wait for it. Wait while thought-jotting down every flinch, ever glance that seemed to last too long, each small flux of emotion from NORA's newest agent to support his suspicion. He was just thorough that way.

And Light was none the wiser. Maybe subconsciously she thought she was due some modicum of respect, some protection from the empath's particular brand of snooping since they were colleagues now. Or maybe she thought she was covering her ass well enough for no one to notice anything odd. Like during the evening training sessions, everyone meeting on the recreation floor -a large gymnasium of a space- for roughly two hours of individual as well as group exercises. Again she found herself thinking back to her days with the 86th armored, waking up before sunrise, starting off the morning with stretches. Vanille had a thing for yoga and gently led the team through a selection of poses that ranged respectively from easy to more difficult. And on a side note, it was hilarious watching guys as big as Snow and Gadot aiming for grace. Like bulls in china shops really. But you'd have to give them credit for trying. And while she'd never had a yoga lesson before in her life, Light didn't find much difficulty in it. No, the hard part was trying to focus and not stare at a certain someone. For the first time -at least that she could remember- Light felt like her lesbian was starting to show, and it was all Fang's fault. Cut-off t-shirt, what looked to be spandex shorts that seemed to hug _everything_, and toned from head to toe in a way Lightning never expected women could be. Gods damn it all, it wasn't fair. How the hell do you _not_ look? Especially when she bends like..._that_.

Sweet Etro...she wasn't wearing anything under that shirt...

And though Hope couldn't see it, he could feel a flicker of heat from somewhere over his shoulder, from Lightning, . He happened to look back, just a glance disguised as rolling his neck, and he saw how Light looked away, towards Fang. It was a nail in the coffin. His stomach jerked momentarily as he felt his suspicions only strengthened. But not now. That could be addressed later.

After stretching and watching Snow fall flat on his face a few times, Yuj took control of the class so to speak. You can imagine Light's surprise at this, as he didn't appear the athletically proficient type. Though that wasn't the case at all, exact opposite actually. He was a native of the city of Wudai, supposedly the birth place of the variety of martial arts practiced all across Pulse. And it was a family affair their, several generations handed down from parents to children, to grandchildren and so on. Yuj came from a rather large family, one of the very few that studied but didn't intend to stay.

When he left the island nation of his birth he was considered an expert, and in his family's particular style you didn't need great strength or a massive build to be effective. Naturally it was expected to have an above average degree of fitness, but at most you would need quick reflexes and perfect timing. The philosophy behind it was using your opponent's weight against them.

Yuj would take Lightning through a crash course of the basic principals, mindful of the cast still on her wrist, and would point out the finer details as the others went through several routines consisting of throwing and trapping and joint locking. Something Light had been versed with in a smaller dose while in the military. She would catch on quick, a small part of her eager to try it for herself. Especially after she saw her sister put Snow on the floor, face first, his rump perched in the air as a reaction to having his arm twisted the wrong way. She could almost imagine herself in Serah's place...oh yes, that would do _nicely_.

With the first hour concluded, everyone having been soundly thrown about, the group broke up to work independently, to address their own unique talents and shortcomings. Though Light only seemed to care enough to make note of what Fang was doing. Happening to look up as Lebreau escorted her to the weight bench, with a far too friendly hand much too close to the wild L'Cie's backside. She felt her own brow twitch, just once. Her nerves strung themselves good and tight. Thank you, jealousy. It was an emotion she wasn't entirely familiar with, and likewise, couldn't hide for shit. Which she realized perhaps a split second before she felt a touch on her shoulder blade. She twisted around, sudden, praying it wasn't the empath.

"Miss Lightning," it was Maqui, looking slightly startled by Light's sudden movement. "Have you had a chance to try out the gunblade yet?"

"The wha...oh, no, I haven't." she just remembered having left it in engineering.

"Well, there's a range for you to practice. I could show you."

"Um, sure, kid, but I'll have to-,"

"I've got it. Grabbed it on my way down." The empath appeared, the weapon in its padded holster and in his hands. "Come on, I'd like to see this thing in action too." And he was somewhat surprised at Light's unsuspecting nod.

It wasn't a long walk, maybe all of five minutes to cross the main gym and take a corner door to a stretching corridor. One door was meant for billiards and things of the like, almost like a sports bar complete with a television. The next passed that was a reading room, most of the contents of the "library" in digital form. And just shy of the firing range, was what everyone referred to as the Rage Cage. Sound proof, empath and telepath proof, and always open. If you ever wanted to just disappear and be genuinely alone for a time, this is where you would go.

The range almost felt like home to Lightning, something familiar, even the smell. Concrete and gunpowder. Without having to ask, Hope pulled the gunblade from its carrier and passed it to her. With a grateful nod she took it, held it just so, almost lovingly.

"It's got a thirty-six round magazine." Maqui explained, smiling rather proudly. "And can fire a round as large as a fifty caliber. Though I haven't tested that size yet. It's already loaded."

Again she nodded, visibly pleased. Her finger found the small trigger, a secondary one, and pressed it, felt the weight shift flawlessly in her hand as she firearm changed into a blade. She watched it, watched all the mechanical happenings, marveling. Then she watched it change back, just as amazed. What an incredible thing.

"This is something else, kid."

The youngster's face reddened and he couldn't talk.

"Don't just stand there fondling it," Hope smirked, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "Help yourself."

And she would.

Lightning couldn't remember exactly when she first picked up a gun, lined up the sights and pulled the trigger. But she remember the sensations with such clarity it was sometimes startling. Wrist tight, shoulder and elbow loose but straight. Only the middle finger needs to be curled firmly, the other two are meant to anchor and adjust for weight and the kick back of the discharge. The thumb and trigger finger should try to line up, reach for each other. And you always squeeze, don't pull. Lightning went through the steps in her head, checking off each one, naturally, out of habit. She held the gunblade stable in one hand, having to grow accustomed to the unusual weight distribution. She aimed carefully, with precision, down the line to the paper target at the far end of the room.

_BLAM_.

Oh yeah. That was her song, to the key of right between the eyes.

She just got so caught up in it, swept away. She just kept firing, emptying the magazine at her leisure. Everything else just seemed to fizzle out, go dim, no longer worthy of her attention. For all of a minute it was just her and the target. At least, what was left of it by then. With the magazine spent, the last of the smoke from the end of the barrel dissipated, she lowered the weapon. Taking another cleansing breath she held the gunblade once again in bother hands. Once again with so much care. She almost smiled.

"Looks like it handles pretty steady."

Lightning nodded, looking up to the empath. Her expression quirked when she realized the younger L'Cie was gone. "It'll take some getting used to, but it'll do."

He nodded with a little chuckle, then his expression changed as well. "Has something been bothering you?"

"Huh?"

"Just curious."

Oh no, she thought briefly. He was never _just curious_. "What makes you ask?"

"Nothing really. Just noticing some things...you've been acting a little strange this last week."

"Strange how?"

"Well, maybe it's just me..." he could already feel her suspicion. She was on to him, but that wasn't about to make him back out. "You've been seeming kind of...evasive." which was perfectly true. He had hardly seen hide or hair of Light since her return to the island, and that was hard to do in a place as small as this without consciously trying. Though it was mostly evident at meal times. She either wasn't there at all, or stopped by the commissary just long enough to get what she needed and leave, all the while her teammates were socializing. At first Hope wrote it off as just being part of her personality, not the social butterfly by any means, but that was before the other factors came into play. Such as the green monster.

"I'm trying to adjust." was her answer, her tone a little defensive. "It tends to take a while."

"You sure that's all it is?" because he wasn't buying it. "I've got a feeling there's more to it."

Light's expression tightened, darkened. "Then maybe you should keep your feelings to yourself."

"I could tell you the same thing. I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm getting emotions off of you without even trying." he came back. "You're dealing with something you don't know how to handle."

"I'm failing to see how that's your business."

"Well, seeing as you're now under my command as part of NORA, it is most certainly my business. Especially if this is something that could jeopardize my team."

"Don't worry about it. I don't take home to work with me."

"I've noticed, but you can imagine why I'm concerned."

A long moment of quiet, eyes locked, fierce. Then...

"What are you so jealous about?"

She tensed, and you could see it happen, thin lines forming around her narrowing eyes. Not a word in denial or admittance, her fists curled, and she could feel her heart starting to pound.

"Is it Fang and Lebreau?"

"_No_," and it wasn't so much a response as a snarl, jaw tight and teeth together. And that was a lie if he had ever heard one.

He waited, poised, then spoke again. "You're gay."

Light's body jerked towards him, perhaps in a confrontational gesture, and her mouth even opened to speak in her defense, but it was all half formed. She didn't follow through. What the hell do you say?

"Though that's not what gets me," he continued, seeing as she was unable to. "I thought it out...the only logical reason is that you have feelings for Fang, more than you're willing to admit. But it isn't even _that_, or that it may be the reason why you contacted us in the first place."

Light could feel herself starting to shake a little. He'd figured it out. And he was going to say it out loud, say what she wouldn't even allow herself to think.

"What _really_ yanks my chain, and probably yours a little as well, is that the _only_ reason L'Cie suddenly _matter_ to you is because you wanted to fuck one."

There it was, overwhelming her with the sensation of her rib cage trying to turn inside out. She cringed, turned away from him, tense from head to toe. A puff of air escaped, against her will, just like the bitter surge of guilt working its way up from her guts.

And while his words may have seemed too harsh, they were true. Nail on the head true, and it hurt.

"Why couldn't you have just been up front?"

"What difference would it make?" she almost choked, like the air in her lungs was running away from her. But she forced the words all the same, her face reddening. "You would've helped me anyway, wouldn't you?"

"Well, yes, actually. But the honesty would've been nice. Why torture yourself like that?"

"It's...s'complicated," gods have mercy, there just wasn't enough air in the room.

"Light?"

"Ca...can't breathe,"

"Sit down," he took the two long strides to reach her and took the gunblade from her hand. "Where's your inhaler?"

She slid down the wall, rump meeting cold concrete. Somehow she managed to say "poh-hocket" and reach for the thigh pocket of her fatigues where she stowed it, somehow through the sensation of breathing through a straw and her lungs trying to explode. Diseases are stupid. She palmed the inhaler once she found it, mentally berating herself when she realized she hadn't taken the cap off of the mouth piece. The dose had her cringing, coughing, stuff taste like copper coated shit.

"There's smoke in the air," Hope said when the fit seemed to pass. "Probably irritated it. You okay?"

"I'll live," she wheezed a little. "That stuff is horrible."

"Better get used to it. But," he paused a moment. "what makes it so complicated?"

Light scowled, cheeks still red, eyes puffy. "It doesn't matter."

"It does. You've got to have a reason." he tried to meet her gaze but she shied away. He took the hint and didn't press. "Obviously you knew her before PSICOM abducted her. Otherwise this wouldn't make any sense. But why stay so quiet? Why hide that from her? It's a part of her life that she's still missing,"

"I know, I _know_," Light put the back of her head against the wall, a small _thump_.

"Is that really fair to Fang?"

"Don't talk down to me," she nipped. "...maybe it isn't fair...but it's better. She doesn't need someone like me telling her anything. She wouldn't believe me...or worse, think I was trying to manipulate her."

"She should be the one to decide that." he said frankly. "In any case, it doesn't change the fact that she has a right to know."

Light knew that too, even nodded with a weak sigh, but it just wasn't that simple. Part of Lightning wanted nothing more than to get this monkey off her back, to go up to Fang without reservation and reveal everything. But it wasn't that easy. There was fear; anxiety, a terror of Fang simply turning away and calling her a liar. Though that was the least of it. It was surmounted by a ripping surge of guilt, and the disgust at coming one step closer to being just like those PSICOM bastards.

"It's going to come out eventually." he said with a tone of finality. "Better do it on your own terms than have someone out you."

She only nodded, her ego much too injured to stand openly admitting he was right.

"Though I have a question," he paused, waiting for her approval which came in a neutral expression. "Does Serah know you're gay?"

"She _was_ the only one."

"Hm," he nodded once. "That's too bad."

"What? Why?"

"I think Gadot had a crush on you. Poor guy, that's two girls he's liked that played for the other team."

"I'll admit," she looked at him sideways, a little surprised. "I didn't expect you to be so...sedate about it."

"What should I care? I only asked to see if I was right." his mouth curled slightly in a smug smirk. "Speaking of curiosities, Moira wants you in her lab tomorrow morning."

"Oh gods," Light rolled her eyes. "What the hell for?"

"Mostly to check and see how your hand's healing up. Otherwise...I shudder to think. Safe to say if she comes at you with a syringe it's best to run for the door."

"I'll keep that in mind."

_(–)_

_Hands tied behind my back. Shoulders tight, aching. Like my backside. This chair ain't comfortable worth shit. Feels like handcuffs cuttin' into my wrists._

_ "Name?"_

_ "Yer mum,"_

_ Guy puts a boot to the chest, knocks the wind outta me. Chair falls back and I'm lookin' at the ceilin', light in my eyes. Think I got a broken finger. Head smacked the floor. Picked back up again, head hangin', feelin' heavy._

_ "Name?"_

_ I start laughin' at him. "O'aes tasa mot teh'khet y'oaes Ta'sol doh tiem y'oae!" Love the look a confusion while I'm spoutin' my mother language. Always love jerkin' people like that. Got me a firm five across the eyes. Somethin' cracked. Can smell blood in my nose, taste it a little._

_ "NAME!"_

_ "I'm Oerba Yun Fang and you're the load yer mum should've swallowed!" _

_ Heavy, steady blows, right in the kisser. And he just kept goin', like a train. I was spittin' out my own teeth when he's finished, saw a molar in my lap. S'okay, it'll grow back. Gimme a minute. _

_ Snatches me up by my collar, lifts me outta the chair and starts tossin' me about the little room we're cooped up in together. Ouch, felt my jaw pop outta place with that one. Gods be damned, that hurts._

_ Now he's loomin' over me, hot stinkin' prick. There's a metallic gleam in the corner of my eye, I look. Big fuckin' knife. Damn, I'd like to have knife like that. Feel the edge of the blade against my cheekbone. Its startin' to dig in. _

_ And I'm smilin'. No fear. Never fear._

_ "Be sure to get my good side," _

Fang felt a shiver up her back and found herself where she last recalled being, on her bed, hands behind her head and staring at the ceiling, into the halogen light overhead.

"You okay?"

"Eh?" she lifted her head, seeing Lebreau perched cross-legged at the foot of the the bed.

"You just went really quiet."

"Oh, I'm fine, sweetheart," she grinned, reassuring. "Lost in thought is all." _Rememberin' maybe._ "So what's next?"

Lebreau smiled. For most of the morning they had been just doing this, sitting, talking, listening to music that she played on her laptop. "Ever listen to Mozart?"

"That sounds like a fancy cheese." Fang answered honestly, one dusky brow raised.

"I'll take that as a no."

"Well then maybe that's a sign to turn off the tunes and just talk a while. Couldn't hurt, could it?"

"Hold that thought," Lebreau pushed her laptop closed as she leaned forward, reaching into the back pocket of her shorts. Her phone buzzing, not ringing since it was only receiving a text message. "It'll have to wait. Everyone to the observatory."

Fang grumbled, eyes rolling. "Never a dull moment," and she begrudgingly stood up, slipping on her boots before following Lebreau out. There was a cheated look on her face.

As irrelevant as it may seem, Fang was a bit annoyed at the sudden summons, mainly because for the last few days she'd had the itch to hump damn near anyone willing to hold still long enough. It wasn't unusual, had been happening since her mutation matured, but it never got easier, in fact it would only get worse as the next week or two went by. Like an animal in heat. And not to state the obvious, but Lebreau was looking progressively less like a friend and more like a tasty treat.

Well, there was always later.

Stepping into the observatory Fang could almost smell the tension. A hint of sweat in the air, and the way the other members of NORA seemed to crowd around Yuj and his station, arms crossed or pacing, supporting it. Had to be something awful big to garner this much attention. The two strolled right over to get in on the fun.

"Well hey there, sunshine, fancy meetin' you here,"

"Shh," Lightning put up a hand, but then paused, turning with a quirk in her usually stoic face. "Sunshine?"

"Sure, after your beaming and pleasant demeanor," and Fang gave her a toothy grin.

Light's brow flattened over her eyes, showing her lack amusement.

"And it looks like ya got the gimp glove off, good on ya," Fang referred to the cast. "But what's this all about?" there was a small, coin sized bruise on Lightning's upper arm. Fang made sure to poke it so she'd noticed.

Light winced, visibly displeased.

"Still tender? I bet that was Moira,"

And while Light turned away without an answer, pretending anxiety like the others, Hope was more than happy to lean back and explain.

"Moira wanted to test out this new serum she's working on, something she made using your blood."

"That so?" one eyebrow inched high. "Would've liked to know about that, what with the go-juice bein' _mine_ and all. Suppose it's no harm done." then she thought about it. Suddenly smirking in a way that would scare someone. She leaned forward, real close to Lightning's ear. "Hey, sunshine?"

A quiet grumble. "What?"

"I'm inside you." and it came as a whisper.

The look on the hume's face was priceless. Brow still low, level, eyes as wide as was physically possible, and her jaw tightened enough to make her teeth creak. And all the while Hope could feel, without having to try, what was going through her mind. He covered his mouth with his hand so no one would notice his trying not to laugh. Oh sweet Etro, if only you knew.

But he couldn't dwell on it. Had to get to the point. "Yuj has been listening in on a signal he picked up on that was piggybacking in the static of a dead radio station out of Figaro. For the first few hours it just sounded like gibberish,"

"Then I had my twelfth coffee and realized it was just a scrambled signal." Yuj finished. "But whatever it sounded like before, it's PSICOM's alright."

"So what's the buzz?" Lebreau asked, arms crossing and hip cocking to the side.

"From what I've gathered so far," Yuj started, looking to be using his console to play what had been recorded back to himself, his headphones practically glued to his head. "There's an appointment being made for some PSICOM brass to come to one of their more _secretive _-use the term loosely- facilities to oversee a test run of some new machine."

"Hmph, someone makes a high-tech vibrator and everybody gets all excited." Fang sniffed. A few stray chuckles. "Don't get me wrong, sounds like fun, but not when those twats are involved."

"Well, if that's all it was I doubt we Hope would've bothered calling us all here. Turns out it's a shit load worse." Yuj swiveled around in his chair, pulled his headphones down, and propped his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "They're testing a prototype of something that could identify us. Any L'Cie. At least that's what I understand."

"Even if it is just a prototype," Hope nodded once, his eyes seeming set with worry, "even if it doesn't work, we need to check it out."

"Screw that, I say we just break the damn thing." Fang put her hands on her hips.

"I like that plan." Snow agreed. In fact the lot of them seemed to like the sound of that.

"Well, that would be the ultimate goal of the assignment. Something like that needs to disappear." Hope wasn't going to argue. No way to support it anyhow. "But it also means that we need to do this _carefully_, and by carefully I mean quietly. Lebreau, I'm going to need you and Lightning on this one."

"You got it." Lebreau answered. Light didn't show it, but was surprised to be volunteered. So soon and already tapped for a mission.

"Maqui's already working on getting the blue-prints for the compound and-,"

"Wait," Lebreau stopped him with a raised finger. "Don't tell me. Ventilation?"

"Yeah."

"God damn it, I know where this is going."

"Sorry, but you're the only one that fits."

"Why can't Lightning do it? She's smaller than me," shorter by a few inches, but apparently it was enough to count.

"But she can't bend like you can, sweetheart," Fang interjected.

"Which is exactly my point," Hope finished, feeling a sudden flicker of the green monster again. "Who else wants to go?"

"I'll go, been cooped up on the island too long." Yuj stood up, stretching. "I can support Lebreau on the inside, reach Angel if I have to and not draw any attention."

"Okay, that gives us enough agents on the the inside, who wants to take perimeter?"

"Me," Snow put up his hands.

"Ya ain't makin' me stay put." Fang smirked. "Any chance to give those bastards a bad day."

"And that, plus myself, makes three." Hope finished with a nod. "The rest hang back as support. And it's a long way, so we'll be taking the Diablo, get there in a little under an hour."

"Diablo?" Light's brow knitted in the middle.

"Yeah, you ever seen an SR-71?"

"Sure." she'd even jumped from one before.

"This is faster." and he could feel a flicker of her excitement. "So we'll meet up again for a more thorough briefing and depart in about five hours."

"I-I'm gonna stay here. With Angel." Maqui muttered, almost unheard. He was staring at the floor, his hands tucked under his arms. Everybody looked at him, saw something was wrong.

"It's okay, squirt. We know." Gadot put his big hand on the kid, assuring him. "We'll give 'em one just for you."

Author's Note: Crappy place to stop, yeah, I know, but it felt all right. Got a little more plot movement there, Light divulging just enough, but not the entire story. Not the finer details anyhow. I, personally, can't wait to get into the psychology of it all, like brain porn. But yeah, next chapter, major pains PSICOM being PSICOM, and up close and personal with Light and Fang! Oh yeah. Love ya!


	13. Chapter 12

**XIII**

**Chapter Twelve**

Lightning liked the armory, loved the smell of it, the feel of it, much like the firing range. She just felt at home here in her new uniform, loading herself down with the necessities she thought she would need. She was almost giddy to try those EMP mines, stuffing half a dozen in a pouch on her belt. In another pouch she put more ammunition for the gunblade, one magazine of fifty cals, you know, just in case. Yeah, just in case she couldn't resist the teeth-grinding itch to use them. Put those right next to the smoke grade. Only one, only ever need one if you use them right. And as much as she loathed to think about it, the inhaler was in her back pocket.

"You look like Lebreau going through a Chocolina's Catalog." Hope was laughing a little as he took casual steps towards her. He was already in his uniform, ready to go off and save the world if necessary. "I didn't believe it when Serah told me you should've been the cover girl for Arsenal Magazine. Now I can see it,"

She almost smiled. "Didn't want that kind of attention, considering my jobs at the time."

He looked at her with curious surprise. "You mean they offered?"

"Twice."

"Oh."

"Did you need something?"

"I did. Thought I'd check and see if you were finding everything in here. Clearly you are. But I also wanted to make sure you got this. I assume Cid had the same chat with you?"

Light looked away from what she was doing, the table of gadgets she had organized in front of her, and saw Hope offering her a pistol still in its holster. She frowned, the context lining up in her head. A quick shrug escaped her. "I don't like it."

"I don't either. But you know how it is, orders."

"Still don't like it."

"Cid assured me it's only temporary. And he seems to trust us enough."

Light took the pistol from him and strapped it to her thigh, where it was meant to.

"But you've seen it for yourself, so I'm counting on you. There's already a dart in the chamber, and there are five more in the holster pouch."

For a moment she simply stared at the floor, unable to meet his gaze, much less look at him at all. She just felt...dirty about the whole thing. As much sense as it made, still didn't feel right. But it was for the best, whether she liked it or not.

"Please tell me you're taking more than a dart gun on this turkey shoot."

"Got a nine millimeter if things get nasty."

"You shoot as good as you bullshit?"

"I dare say better."

"Tch, there's hope for you yet."

"Coming from you, that's something." he laughed. "So you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

"Let's roll then. Oh wait, one more thing. Maqui finished this and asked me to give it to you."

Light watched as he revealed a small...something. Round, the size of his palm.

"What is it?"

"He calls it a phantom generator. Just slip it in your pocket," he took the liberty of doing so, tucking the cover of her breast pocket in before sliding it into place. "All you have to do is press it, and it'll cloak you for up to half an hour. After that it cuts off and starts to recharge. Just press it again to turn it off."

"So I'll be invisible?"

"Basically. It won't hide your heat signature, but yeah."

She nodded, approving. "Cool."

"It's also your call sign. When we're out in the field, you'll answer to Phantom."

Another nod. It would do.

The two left the armory together, taking the elevator to the hangar.

It was situated just beneath the research center, taking up the width and breadth of the entire island just a few feet from topsoil. Massive iron girders constructed the hollow bubble in the heart of the island.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Hope answered quickly as they stepped off the lift.

"What's up with Maqui? He okay?"

"Well, yeah." though this response wasn't so quick. "Okay, no. No really. Come to find out we're going to the same facility where he was raised."

"What?"

"Long story short," he shrugged a little. "PSICOM had this test a few years back where they could test for the L'Cie gene In Utero. Even though it only had a one in three success rate, you can imagine how many parents would still be interested in it."

"He came up positive?"

"I can only assume. In any case...parents sold him to PSICOM for almost a million gil."

"For Etro's sake...never thought you could put a price tag on your kid."

"Guess you can. But still, he was one of the lucky ones."

"Oh yeah, PSICOM property, experimented on, had to have been fun."

"What do you think they did to the other two-out of-three?"

A fair question, one she didn't feel right to entertain. "So how did he end up here?"

"He was the first one us that Cid found. I think Maqui was...ten, maybe thirteen at the time. The first year I knew Maqui he didn't speak. He used his powers to type words out on the consoles in the observatory. Drove Moira crazy. Finally he said something when he saw Gadot transform for the first time. Just pointed at him and said 'piggy'."

Somehow she could imagine that perfectly. A slight smirk curled the edge of her mouth. The she looked up from watching her own two feet, and saw the Diablo. Sleek, black, beautiful. Sharp edged, streamlined. Just over a hundred feet long with nearly sixty feet in wingspan...oh gods, makes your tongue hard enough to cut diamonds.

"So...who holds the reigns on this thing?"

"Yuj is a licensed pilot."

"Bullshit."

"Surprise." Hope waggled his eyebrows.

"Somehow I pegged you for that."

"Damn it," he chuckled. "I'm a doctor not a pilot."

"Christ," she rolled her eyes.

The rest of the team was waiting on the tarmac, at the Diablo's back end by the extended loading ramp, in uniform and ready to go. Lightning and Hope made it just in time to hear the tail end of Fang's gentle lecturing for Gadot to put on a shirt to spare them the danger of losing an eye due to his erect nipples. It was cold in that hangar. His only defense was that his transformation would rip it, thus making the gesture pointless, albeit considerate.

"Sunshine, there you are, took ya long enough. Hey, lemme ask ya, does this uniform make my ass look awesome?"

She shouldn't have fell for that, should've ignored it like she would be mentally berating herself to have done later. But she didn't. As a soldier your drilled to respond quickly to questions, doubly so to orders, so Light would just blame it on reflex. And though she wouldn't answer verbally, that look, the way the setting of her eyes changed. That was answer enough. Not to mention she didn't so much look as she just stared.

Fang didn't have much in the backside department, to be honest Light felt as though she had seen better, but those legs. Sweet Etro have mercy, long and strong, hugged by tight and durable fabric. The waist of the fatigues resting just below her navel, and with her back to Lightning she could just see the dimples at the small of base of her spine. The rest of her back was covered by the navy NORA jacket she wore. After too long without an audible answer Fang would turn back around, gloved hands on her hips, jacket unfasten to reveal her bare midriff and the halter top keeping the girls in line.

"Not quite the reaction I was hopin' for, but it'll do." and Fang winked at her, knowing damn good and well why Lightning gave no answer, never mind her later protests.

Light shook her head, a quick jerk. _Gods damn it all...so unfair._ Was all she could think, jaw tightening. "Don't we have a job to do?" she hissed, pushing passed her coworkers and marching with hunched shoulders up the ramp.

"At this rate," Hope said quietly, having followed. "that closet is going to fall down around you."

"Shut up."

"Just saying." and he had to fight it not to laugh just a little bit. Seeing her squirm like this was amusing. It was just so unlike her.

Shortly thereafter everyone had sat down, strapped in, and held on tight as Emoticon was given clearance from Angel to take off. The massive door sealing the hangar slid down, allowing the rays of the setting sun to cast across the runway. The Diablo roared to life, the rumble of the turbines steadily growing into a deafening bellow. Everyone on board would feel pushed back into their seats as the craft picked up speed, enough to take flight as the runway disappeared beneath the landing gear. Only minutes, perhaps two, went by before it disappeared on the burning horizon.

The Diablo would cross nearly six time zones, and an entire ocean in under an hour, just as Emoticon predicted, and touch down near the southwestern tip of Figaro, in an area called the Gabianni Wastes. Though to be particular, it wasn't such a terrible place as it sounds. Just desolate, not a soul for miles, and the ground was too harsh for anything other than crab grass and prairie dogs. A shit ton of prairie dogs.

"It's dark out there, people, so try to watch your step." Emoticon started into his almost ritual pre-mission pep talk as he stood up. Well, not really a pep-talk so much as a quick recap. "The facility is a half mile west of us. There's a ten foot, chain-link fence capped with razor wire around the perimeter. There are several small buildings topside, but all of them converge on an underground network of passages. The information bunker, which is where our prototype is supposed to be, is either the fifth or sixth level down."

"You're not sure?" Phantom cocked an eyebrow as she stood as well.

"I would be if Download hadn't hit a surge wall looking through the network for the rest of the blueprints. All we know for fact is that there are only six sub-levels, and the first four we already know aren't of our concern. But the primary objective of this assignment is to destroy any and all traces of this machine and anything related to it, and as always, try not to kill anybody."

"Pardon," Fang put up one hand, "you _do _ realize I'm not exactly play safe, right?"

"I do." and by his tone you could tell he was dead-serious. "And I realize humes and guns are disasters looking for a place to happen -no offense-,"

"None taken." Phantom nodded her waiver.

"But you don't need to go out of your way to hurt anyone. But if they try to hurt you first, knock yourself out."

"So long as we're clear." Fang nodded, smirking.

"Flashback, you and Razorback are on backup, the rest of you are with me. Freak, you got a link with Angel?"

"Dynotherms connected, commander." the response came with a thumbs up.

"Then let's roll."

"Break a leg, eh, sunshine?"

Phantom went rigid, though her expression remained unchanged as she felt the wild L'Cie's palm connect with the round of her backside with a muffled _WHAP_. Fang only laughed, and the others still left on board seemed to wait with bated breath for Phantom's reaction. Which, in true form, was rather subdued. Though Emoticon was feeling volumes. He had to fight the urge to laugh again.

"You okay?" he asked, though quietly. He could see the red in his comrade's cheeks.

"I think she's doing it on purpose." a hiss through a tight jaw.

"I'm willing to agree with you. Doesn't look like Ragdoll minds it too much, maybe their...thing isn't as serious as you thought."

Phantom scowled. "Don't bring home to work with you."

"Right. Let's be on our way."

It was impossibly dark out there. Dark, quiet as a tomb, and even the air was still. Their footsteps over grass and rocky dust seemed just so damn loud. Still, they would reach their destination undetected and undisturbed. Pausing but a few yards out of range of a selection of searchlights, armed guards in the towers that held them high.

"So what's the plan, necktie?" Fang put a hand on her hip, one eyebrow cocked as she looked towards Emoticon.

"Working on it. Freak, get Download to hack into the surveillance network, those lights have got to be on it."

"You got it."

"Just have him take control, don't change the search patterns." he continued. With quiet patience everyone waited. Several minutes.

"Download's in." came Frequency's response with a curt nod. "And...he's got the lights."

"Once we've got the towers clear I want him to send some interference through the network, make sure any cameras they've got see nothing but static. Now lets take out those guards."

"I've got the southwest tower." Phantom said.

"I'm on northwest." Fang smirked.

"Freak and I can take the southeast." Ragdoll volunteered.

"I'll do what I do best and attract attention to myself." Tank laughed.

"Then try and keep it isolated to the northeast tower because that's where _I'm _headed. We need to do this as quietly as possible, folks, or else we're not getting in."

As one the party moved in, advancing quickly. Freak would use his powers to still the vibrations put off by Ragdoll's movements up the tower, allowing her a silent ascent. Once to the top she quickly subdued the sentries. Phantom hit the module on her uniform just as she went sprinting into the glow of a searchlight, blinking out of sight. She worked diligently up the supports, socking a sentry in the throat once she reached the top. The other she managed into a headlock, pressing until he dropped out cold. Fang's approach was somewhat similar, though not as clean cut. Using her claws she scaled the tower in no time at all, though wasn't so subtle about neutralizing the guards. She snatched the nearest one by the collar and pulled him down, wincing in amusement as she heard the _THUD_ of his impact below. From there she jumped in, confronting the other guard who made an honest attempted to pull his assault rifle on her. One swipe of her claws and a chuckle foiled that plan, and she thanked the guard for the barrel of laughs by caving his face in with her forehead. Adamantium skeletons can be more fun than you'd think.

And contrary to the notions possibly roused by his plan, Tank was much more subdued in his approach. He waited, just out of reach of the searchlights and in the dark, watching carefully as Emoticon crept closer. Once he began his ascent, Tank came a step or so closer, his steely hide reflecting the light and drawing the sentries' attention. As they pointed their guns at him, he thought to have a bit of fun and asked for directions to the nearest seven-eleven just before Emoticon got to them. Quick, quiet, just like they needed it to be. Now for the real fun.

Getting inside.

The generator still active, Phantom was able to jump from the tower, clearing the fence by inches, and tuck to roll to a safe stop atop one of the structures. That's when she switched it off, blinking back into view, catching the eyes of her teammates who were in the process of finding a safe entry. Well, with the exception of Fang, who seemed content enough to get back on the ground, use her claws to cut a hole in the chain-link fencing, and strut right on through.

_She's going to get us all killed...wait a minute..._

Phantom just realized...this was too easy.

Just guards in the towers...none here on the ground. No night watchmen, no gatekeepers. Nothing. She looked, there wasn't a soul about, just Fang walking across the pavement like she owned the place. Not that the latter part of that observation was surprising. If PSICOM had big brass coming...and a machine that put half a planet full of people in danger...how do you not arm your facility to the teeth?

_This has to be a set up._

And she wasn't about to keep this suspicion to herself. Once the team was back together, in a huddle behind one of the smaller structures, it was the first thing out of her mouth.

"I noticed it too," Emoticon nodded, not looking too certain. "I don't like it any more than you do. But we can't just quit now."

"Yes we can." Phantom countered.

"I think I know where sunshine's goin' with this." Fang nodded. "I smell a rat." and the nose wouldn't lie.

"We're being played."

Emoticon's brow knitted, and he looked to each of them. "Even if we are...but if there's the slightest chance this technology is in the works, we need to check it out. If this _is_ a ploy, they might be expecting us to take off."

"Angel tells me there's life here, almost a hundred moving bodies." Freak added.

"But they're not topside. They don't even have any cameras up here, save for the towers." Phantom had noticed it once she touched down within the fence. Not a single security camera anywhere, hidden or in plain sight.

"Even if they did, they're seeing snow by now. Freak, does Angel have an entry point for us?"

"One sec...yeah. Ventilation exhaust is on the north side of the compound."

"God damn it." Ragdoll grumbled. "Better get started then."

"Freak, your in charge while inside. Good luck."

"I'll scream if I need a hand." Freak smirked a little as he started on, following Ragdoll with Phantom just behind him.

"Hopefully it won't come to that." and Emo looked like he was deeply hoping against hope it wouldn't.

"So what about us?" Fang had her arms crossed, hip cocked, eyebrow raised.

"We wait."

"Waiting and I don't mix well. I get anxious."

"If you need something to do that badly, find those sentries we neutralized and tie their boot laces together. Nice surprise when they come to."

She grinned, kind of wicked too. "I knew there was a reason I liked you, necktie."

Under Angel's subtle guidance the others would find what they were looking for with little trouble, a grate embedded into the concrete foundation and hidden behind one of the structures, a steady current of metallic stinking air coming out of it. Between the three of them they were able to lift it, drag it aside to reveal the ducts beneath it. Ragdoll looked less than pleased as she made ready to go in, a preliminary stretch and pop of her knuckles. Then a heavy shrug as she bent down, onto her knees. She didn't hate the enclosed spaces, or the noise which could be deafening at times. It was the filth. It seemed like every vent system on the planet had yet to ever been cleaned. Dust, grime, the occasional dead rodent or abnormally large insect. It made her skin crawl, and as flexible as she was, there was no avoiding it. And it looked like this system wasn't any different, as was made evident by a loud groan of "fuck my life" that echoed out of the hole in the concrete.

"So what next?" Phantom asked.

"We follow."

"Will we fit?"

"Well...with your gear,"

"Yeah, I'm finding another way in. You go ahead." she wasn't about to drop anything, and she didn't want to waste time playing that game either. "I'll keep in touch."

All Freak could do was trust her, not feeling any sense in arguing, and just shook his head as he lowered himself out of sight to follow Ragdoll.

Lightning ducked around the to front of the structure, to the door which she tested carefully and found unlocked. That only fueled her initial worry of this whole thing being fixed, but took it in stride all the same. Quickly she moved inside, finding herself in a sort of store room, maybe the maintenance bunker. Tools and spare parts for various things organized onto steel shelves. With something moving about the lights on the ceiling blinked on automatically, the halogen glow revealing the stainless steel of elevator doors. There was no hesitation in her movements to reach it, hitting the only button to have the doors slide open. She stepped inside, engaging the generator again as the doors slid closed, again invisible.

Tucked against the back corner she would ride it down, stopping at the fifth sub level without pause. The doors slid back, but she didn't move. This was most certainly not the floor she would find the "L'Cie Finder", as it was the barracks, complete with off duty officer traipsing about in next to nothing in preparation for lights out. The doors would slide closed again before she hit the key for the sixth level, hoping it would end her search.

_"Phantom, you okay?"_

It was weird hearing him in her head. Really weird. _"Yeah, I'm on my way to the six floor."_

_"How'd you manage that?"_

_ "I used the door."_

It was quiet a moment. _"We're somewhere on the third. We haven't heard much activity up here."_

_ "Neither have I. We've got staff going to bed. There's no big brass coming."_

_ "Still...we'll see what there is to see, then be out like a bandit. No harm done."_

_ "Says you. Just try and hurry up."_

_ "We'll do our best...though it might take a little longer. We just went through a mess of cobwebs and Ragdoll is having a fit."_

Gods damn it. _"Tell her it can wait. We've still got a job to do." _The connection went quiet after that. Which was probably for the better as the lift came to a stop. Phantom engaged the generator out of reflex, the doors beginning to slide back. Certainly a good idea considering what was waiting for her on that floor.

A maelstrom of gunfire.

The sound was deafening, Phantom wedging herself tightly into a corner near the opening to avoid being hit. In her head she was chanting _I knew it, I knew it, I knew it_, all the while wondering how she was going to get out of this mess. Her only real chance was up, but they would stop the elevator manually, leaving her stranded. Still, that didn't mean it was out of the question. She looked up, seeing the almost customary panel work in the ceiling. With little hesitation, and the highest jump a white girl could muster, she punched through it and pulled herself up. Then she starting hauling ass up the cables, the chorus of gunfire echoing up the shaft.

And if you think it was bad in the belly of this hell hole, you should see topside.

Emoticon felt his stomach twist when he heard a distant rumble of choppers. It could only mean one thing; they were set up, what he was afraid of. It all started to click. They were meant to get this far, Freak was _supposed_ to pick up that scrambled signal. PSICOM knew they'd come.

Six helicopters came to a hover over the compound, staying just long enough to drop off roughly thirty-six troops, each armed to the teeth. That is, thirty-six plus one. Or should I say Twelve?

The L'Cie didn't need to repel from the aircraft, had no need to as the humes did. Tusk simply jumped, deftly landing on his bare feet, the talons on his toes cutting into concrete. He slowly straightened, unhurried even as he stood before the horde of humes. Content, confident in that he was in complete control.

"Now what?" Tank just had to ask, seeing as things had gone to shit so suddenly.

"Working on it." Emo seemed none too stressed, though inside his heart was hammering against his ribs. It was a rarity that the situation ever went this sour. "Freak is talking to Angel now, working on an escape plan for us."

"Until then?"

"Like I said, working on it."

Instead of worried, Fang was rather excited. All this subtlety and sneaking around just wasn't enough. Now it looked like she'd get into a scrap or two, just what she was starting to itch for. But that was all forgotten, at least momentarily, when she took a moment to actually look at Tusk. Something about him struck her, as did his scent picked up on the wind caused by the choppers passing overhead. The sight and smell of him seemed to set off an alarm in the back of her mind, the instinct making her claws extend without a thought.

Tusk smirked, as much as someone like him could. He cracked his knuckles against his palms, talons extending to their full length. The other L'Cie didn't matter, NORA in itself never garnered much more of an arched eyebrow from him. All he cared about was Thirteen. He was going to get those bones even if he had to pluck them out of her one at a time.

Though his pricked ears twitched, picking up something unusual. A metallic chime almost too quiet for him to hear, and a dull whistle. And he would hear before he saw what looked like a metal can bounce to a stop on the pavement in front of him. Before he realized what it was, the can exploded into a cloud of thick, oppressive white smoke.

Phantom had emerged from the storage building unseen, the pin of the smoke grenade already pulled, but a firm hand on it to keep the fuse from going active before she meant it to. She ducked around to the side of the structure before sending it flying over the heads of the amassed PSICOM agents, hoping the distraction would keep them off of her until she could meet up with Freak and Ragdoll. Mere seconds after the grenade detonated that she would take Freak's hand and pull him out of the vent.

"Razorback is on his way," he said, his voice raised in order to be heard over the sudden commotion. Guns were going off already.

"Isn't it a little late for the heavy artillery?"

"Think of him as our getaway car." Ragdoll corrected as she pulled herself up, out of the vent and onto the pavement. "Damn, it got bad in a hurry, didn't it?"

"It could always get worse," Phantom cautioned. "We need to get up with the others and get the hell out of here."

"Yeah, once we find them. Can't see a damn thing." Freak coughed as the smoke started spreading all across the compound.

"Then lets get moving before they call those choppers back to clear the air."

Their first instinct once they realized they were hidden by the smoke was to run for the nearest exit, that is Emo, Tank. Fang was more reluctant to do so, her curiosity working to get the best of her. She knew that L'Cie, somehow, from somewhere, so it was only natural that she would want to know, but things were just too hairy to stick around. Bullets whizzed by, inches from her, too close for comfort. Best to fall back with the others, as much as she didn't want to. Though she wouldn't get very far.

Tusk came barreling out of the smoke, pouncing once he could see her, claws reaching and curled, viciously poised with fangs bared. Upon landing he snatched her by the waist of her pants and yanked backwards, tearing her back into the smoke and gunfire.

Fang hit the pavement hard, bones rattling in all the wrong ways at the impact. Her enhanced senses were flooded with the smoke, eyes watering and sinuses swelling. She felt the need to cough. She wiped her eyes, blinking her vision clear just in time to see Tusk's great shadow fall over her.

He gripped her jaw tightly in one massive paw, snarling. "Give me your bones, runt!"

"Here, have six!" and the claws went up into his ribs. His hand tore away from her face, tearing flesh down to the adamantium, silver slivers shimmering in the blood. With a growl of pain he gripped her forearms and pulled her forcefully to her feet, claws still stuck in him knuckles deep. He began to push, slowly, loosing the claws from his guts even as she pushed back. Eyes locked, they sized each other up in just those few seconds it took for Tusk to get free of his impalement. She knew then she didn't stand much of a chance like this, toe to toe he had too much of an advantage, but fuck all if she wasn't going to try.

Blood splashed onto the concrete. The fight was on.

_Why did I use a smoke grenade_...Phantom was mentally berating herself, feeling a uneasily familiar tightness in her throat. The smoke was irritating her asthma, and the last thing she wanted to have to deal with was another attack. She did her best to just ignore it, her gunblade pressed to her chest, barrel down and finger on the trigger.

There was so much noise, so much chaos. Gunfire, the roar of chopper blades drawing closer overhead, the shouting of humes and L'Cie cutting the air. Phantom, Freak, and Ragdoll were steadily working their way from the north side of the compound to the south, where they had first approached. Ragdoll took the lead, her bones as dense as she was able to make them, taking out anyone that crossed them with ease. A sledge hammer kissing your jaw going thirty-five would be an accurate description. Phantom was admittedly impressed.

The smoke was suddenly pushed away as a chopper descended, a cannon light piercing the mist as it dissipated and captured them in it's glare.

"Keep going!" Phantom ordered, taking aim and firing into the light as the three of them made a run for it. And though the aircraft began to list, it retaliated with its own firepower, a fifty-caliber that belched flashes of flame and steel. Phantom just managed to stay ahead as it strafed to keep up pursuit. She would have engaged the module if it had any power left.

"Shit, they're bringing in reinforcements!" Ragdoll cursed aloud, still running, having caught sight of a horde of armed agents spilling out of the structures dotting the compound. "There's too many! Where's Razor?"

"A hundred yards and closing," Freak answered, having gotten the info from Angel. "We can hold until then." which was true. The density of humes in the vicinity made for too much risk for the choppers to keep firing all willy-nilly as they were. They had pulled back for now. But that still left NORA with no less than fifty soldiers on their hands. Talk about overkill.

And in spite of those odds, the three of them still found a moment of pause to watch as Tank went flying through the air, arms and legs flailing with an unsurprising cry of "oh shit" just before impact. Concrete caved under his weight, cracking still as he rolled to a stop. His comrades fought to reach him, to help him to his feet.

"The hell was that?" Ragdoll asked, pulling him up by his arm.

"A little girl," he sounded incredibly surprised to say. "She just..._looked_ at me and then I went flying,"

Phantom tensed. "We've gotta get out of here."

"No kidding." Tank coughed, straightening.

"That's the telepath I told you about," she explained.

"The level seven?" Freak's eyebrows reached for his hairline. "You didn't say she was a telekinetic too!"

"I didn't know." Phantom shot him a severe look. "Besides, that doesn't change anything. All the more reason for us to pull out _now_."

"Where's Emo?" Ragdoll was looking around, looking for that head of platinum hair.

"He's around, in one of the guard towers I think, been playing off everyone's anxiety to try and buy Razor some time."

And speak of the devil, the ground shaking to announce his arrival. The gate of the compound caved in under heavy hooves, the pavement crushed as well as the towering bull-boar came charging through the barrier. And Razorback didn't stop there, just kept barreling forward, plowing through anyone and everyone standing in his path. Some of the soldiers were smart and got out of his way, though the stroke of intelligence didn't last as the horde of them tried to surround the L'Cie. Razor started to buck, like a bull in a ring, the ground shaking like mad. And their bullets weren't doing so well when they actually hit him, as they tended to bounce off his hide.

"Now what about Fang?"

"I was trying to help her," Tank was quick to answer Phantom's question. "It's that Caius guy, he's got it out for her."

Phantom felt her stomach hit her boots. Damn it, Caius was here? Well, if the girl was, he most certainly couldn't have been too far behind. "I'm going," was all she said, with unwavering determination, and took off without another word as her gunblade shifted into the saber to allow her passage.

This guy hit like a truck, Fang would think. Heavy, jarring blows, that is, when he used his fists. Those talons were a whole other story. They cut deep, cut clean, hooking to tear away flesh. And he could heal fast, faster than Fang by what seemed like minutes even when the wounds were serious. She'd stabbed him in the chest, having to have punctured a lung at least. But he only paused a moment, expression tensed with pain, and then he came back all tooth and nail. Though she still stood against him.

Their blood mingled on the pavement, smeared the walls of two structures as they traded blows. Animals ripping each other apart.

Tusk had her up against the wall, talons hooked into her rib cage, her own weight pulling her down. It was the kind of pain that made you want to puke. She looked down at him, expression pained and snarling, one eye open. The other was closed, blood seeping between the lips, blinded as it had yet to heal up.

"I am going to _enjoy_ watching them _cut._ _Every_. _Last_. _Piece_ of that metal out of you." Tusk growled, his face none too intact either. His cheek was torn out, his teeth visibly moving with his jaw, the tongue rippling behind them.

Fang spat in his face, bloodied saliva, and then gave him a hard kick to the chest, talons ripping away to reveal shimmering ribs as she hit the ground. Tusk was quick to recover, coming back at her just as she straightened, having but a second to step away as his claws came raking downward. He tore the panel off a breaker box instead of her face. Fang lunged at him, claws forward. Tusk caught her by the wrists, letting her momentum push him flat against the wall. He pushed, pushed hard, but it seemed like his strength was starting to sputter, the muscles in his arms bulging but trembling, fatigued.

_Cut his throat out. Do it, do it. Do it before he does it to you._

She pushed hard, adamantium tips inches from his neck. The fury and pain she was feeling emerged, roiled out of her in the form of a primal scream, giving it all into one last shove.

Tusk was paying very close attention, watching her carefully. He watched how she shifted her weight into her shoulders, forcing all of her strength into them to push forward. Just as the transfer happened, pressure building against his grip, her pulled her arms apart, just wide enough that they would miss his flesh as he stopped resisting. Adamantium hit the metal of the breaker box just behind him, sinking into the wiring. Sparks flew, burned the back of his neck, but that was nothing compared to what Thirteen had to have been feeling as the electric current shot through her. Traveled through her bones. She began to burn from the inside out, the adamantium becoming red hot in seconds, and her muscles were so rigid she couldn't pull away. Couldn't scream at the incredible pain.

Tusk would step away, like he had all the time in the world, and watch for but a moment. Just a moment, long enough to sate the sicker side of him, and then he would release Thirteen with a hard kick to the ribs. A shower of sparks belched out of the breaker box.

Fang couldn't feel her fingers, her toes, her jaw was locked tight and her eyes wouldn't open. All she could make out was the horrible burning in her bones and the stench of burning flesh. The wounds that had yet to close were smoking, sizzling and blistered. The tips of her claws were glowing red with heat. Her body was smoking, the heels of her boots burned through where the current had traveled. She just laid there, hurting.

In steady, unhurried strides Tusk came to stand over her, his face now completely healed and set in an unreadable way. Now all he needed to do was deliver this wretched thing to Nabaat. Then he could be paid, something he had been waiting _years_ for.

But he would have to wait a while longer, as it would happen.

_BLAM_

Tusk wouldn't react fast enough as he was hurled back, sliding on pavement as his middle was struck, a great portion of it simply disappearing, ceasing to be. A hole big enough for his own fist to fit through, and blood exploded out the back of him before he hit the ground flat on his back.

Phantom had put a fifty caliber round into the gunblade, pleased when it didn't blow up in her face once she pulled the trigger, doubly so when she saw Tusk off his feet. Her shoulder was going to bruise something nasty later, but that was later. She had the gunblade collapse and slid it into its holster. Without another thought, seeing enough to know, Phantom tried to lift Fang by the shoulders. Sweet gods, she was heavier than she looked! She could even feel the excess heat coming off the L'Cie, making her think she'd be burned if she touched her skin directly.

_Come on, push, no one gets left behind._

Phantom suddenly lost her grip, feeling something akin to a hard slap against her forehead. It put her on her backside, slightly dazed. She looked around and saw Yeul standing near Tusk, seeming to have appeared out of nowhere. And she did _not_ look pleased. Phantom tried to stand and felt the same blow, another hard slap between the eyes that put her down again. It had to be her. Yeul was doing this. Though the young girl seemed confused, as if her attempts should have been far more affective, her retaliation more severe. The hume would try one last time, feeling the push but now able to resist. She would manage Fang onto her shoulders, the extra weight just shy of too much. Phantom would only give the young L'Cie a final glance, not willing to waste more time than that.

Freak would meet her some ten strides after, saying the others were waiting, that the Diablo was ready, and that they needed to haul ass. Emoticon's influence was wearing off and all those PSICOM agents were starting to get their minds back, their aim too. They all surged into pursuit seemingly out of nowhere, seemingly bull-dog determined to get at them.

"I've got this, just keep going." Freak gave her a bit of a push as he came to a sudden stop, turning a total one-eighty. Phantom didn't argue, but just kept on running.

Freak waited, but only a moment. He needed to get on as well, but he couldn't rush this. There was a right time for everything. The soldiers closed in, crowding into a tight formation, just how he needed them too. Then he took a deep breath, filling his lungs to capacity, which was rather substantial considering his size. Using his powers he fixed in on the frequency of his own voice, just as he let out a gut-deep scream. It was amplified, focused, and rippled forward with all the force of a sonic boom. Every last agent went flat on their backs or their faces, all of them holding their ears. Then he was running again, though now slightly winded. He would make it to the Diablo just as its wheels started to roll, the ramp at its rear coming to a close as the jet left the ground.

Lightning was wheezing, chest too tight to take a full breath, on her backside and leaning against the inner hull of the Diablo. Once the craft was steady in the air, on course for Muir Island, she reached back into her pocket, searching for her inhaler. She would take two hits of it, still cringing at the taste. With the attack relieved, she could focus again.

Fang was lying against her, breathing, but otherwise so still. Light held onto her, arms twined around her chest and waist, perhaps unaware she was doing it. Unaware of her own thoughts that cycled through _it's okay, you're safe. I've got you,_ over and over.

_I've got you now. You'll be all right._

She was so torn up, spattered with blood, uniform in tatters and flesh still pocked with unsealed wounds. Though unconscious there was pain on the L'Cie's face. The claws had yet to retract, though the metal was no longer glowing with heat.

Light would hold her until they returned to the research center, some hour or so later, still seeming oblivious that she had been until the others offered to help her up. Lebreau took her hand, pulled her to her feet, while Snow managed down the ramp with Fang in his arms.

"You okay?"

Light had watched Snow until her disappeared, only regarding the other L'Cie after. "Yeah." though she had a sort of doe in the headlights sort of expression.

Lebreau had seen it, happened to glance back from her seat during the flight to see Light holding Fang so closely, looking so lost. Though the knowledge didn't seem to affect her. Not yet.

"How about some coffee?" she offered with a small smile.

"Yeah. Okay."

They would leave the hangar together, though Light would seem miles away.

Author's Note: This chapter was just...weird. Dunno why. Maybe it was just my hangup, made me feel all...chunky. In any case, here it is. And why doesn't Fang have a fancy code-name? Because she's awesome, that's why. Sorry for the delay and all, and I really appreciate your patients. You readers are the best. So I'll go ahead and say it. Next chapter, Light's gonna spill it all. Finally we'll know how it all started. Hope you're excited. See ya then.


	14. Chapter 13

**XIII**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Lightning was surprised to find the coffee so soothing, then again it was really-_really_ good coffee. Lebreau would wait in the commissary with her until it had finished brewing, pouring some for both of them before she left, though not before giving a Light an encouraging pat on the shoulder. Maybe to say "good job", the hume wasn't sure. I mean, it could've gone a lot worse, but Light was having a hard time believing it was a job well done. She would have the next short while to herself, time to think, silence to contemplate in. She was trying to recall everything that happened tonight. Some things were fuzzy, blurred with the quickness in which they occurred. Or maybe it was those psychic blows to the head she took. Maybe the effect had been delayed.

She couldn't help but feel as though Yeul had sincerely tried to do her serious harm, but for some reason just wasn't able. To be honest, Light had half expected to be reduced to a stuttering, brainless heap by the kid. And that look of frustration on her porcelain features...she just couldn't wrap her head around it. How in the hell could a hume stand up to a level seven telepath and still be functioning on their own power? Lightning sipped her coffee, shaking her head slowly with eyes closed.

The seemingly miles long hustle back to the Diablo was also something that stood out in her mind, stood out over all the gunfire, the shouting, the things she _should've_ remembered but were just static. An extra two-hundred-something pounds on your back could make even a few steps stretch on forever. Though she wasn't bitter about it, wasn't Fang's fault she'd put on all that weight, and Light could've asked for a hand. But no, she had carried the L'Cie the full distance and was quietly proud to say so. However she was convinced she wouldn't be able to pull it off again, doubly so considering her asthma flared up half way. Not a chance in hell.

_Don't lie_. _You would do it again. Especially if _she_ needed you._

Before she could accept or deny her own notions the commissary door opened, Hope, Serah, Snow and Gadot all stepping through it. Gadot strode straight and true into the kitchen, ravenous in his hunger, giving Light the opportunity to see the bruising spotted along his back and limb. Bullet-hickeys he'd call them with an odd degree of affection.

The others would come and sit with her, all of them looking tired, coming down from the adrenaline of their nocturnal activities. Serah would greet her elder sibling with a gentle embrace about the shoulders before sitting beside her.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Light nodded, staring at the half full mug in her hands. "But it wasn't for lack of trying."

"I know," a little chuckle. "I was watching." From one of those low flying satellites that went unnoticed amongst all the hubbub.

"I think you did a damn good job," Hope reassured her, fishing into his back pocket, hunched forward in his chair. "Considering it was your first time out."

"I still think we should've withdrawn." Light said, looking her superior right in the face.

"I know, but it was a chance we needed to take." Hope settled back onto his rump after retrieving his bottle of aspirin.

Light's expression quirked. "Didn't you take some already?" she could've sworn he had, while they were still in the air, his head tilted back as he popped a pill.

"Didn't work." was his explanation. "They get worse when I try to influence too many people for too long. That," he paused to swallow, "and Fang started dreaming again."

Light nodded, slow, her eyes shifting lower again.

"Even Vanille was feeling it. She went straight to bed."

"Is Fang going to be all right?" Serah asked, genuine concern evident on her features.

"Moira's checking her out now...she seemed confident that there wouldn't be any lasting damage." But she'd be feeling it for a while, he thought.

"It could've been a lot worse." Snow said, his hands folding behind his head as he leaned back. "At least you got to her before that kid did."

"What kid?" Serah looked at him, brow knitted, curious.

"The little girl? You didn't see her?" And when Serah shook her head his eyes widened. "How could you miss her?"

"I had eyes all over the place, and neither Maqui or I saw any little girl. Although Maqui found it hilarious when you went flying through the air."

"Because she threw me!"

"Hmm," Hope had his thumb on his chin. "I saw her too...funny that she wouldn't show up on camera."

"Is that possible? For a telepath to erase themselves like that?" Lightning asked. For all she knew, they could. "Especially her since she's Number Nine."

"I would have to talk to Cid." Hope admitted, seemingly dismayed at his lack of an answer better than that. "Though we certainly can't rule it out."

"PSICOM sure pulled out all the stops for us, didn't they?" Snow snickered, smirking. "Never went through this kind of trouble before."

"Because before NORA was just a boot in their ass. Now we've got something they want." Lightning explained rather casually, like she had it all figured out. Then again it wasn't exactly rocket surgery. "They don't like someone else playing with their science project."

"Evidently." Hope almost laughed, but thought it better not to. "And with that being said, I think it's safe to consider that all bets are off now. From here on out we need to assume that any assignment is going to be a set up."

"You weren't already?" One rosy eyebrow peaked.

"Normally we stay under their radar, at least it's seemed that way. Suffice to say they've never _expected_ us...first time for everything, huh?"

Lightning had no response, and just sipped her coffee.

_(II)_

Caius bolted upright, fangs bared as his mouth opened wide to suck in his first breath in roughly twenty minutes. The shock of pain set him sitting up, and out of that came to notion to flatten the paramedic kneeling close to him, breaking the poor fellow's nose and a few of his front teeth. He didn't need those gods-be-damned paddles! His heart would've started again on its own given just a little longer, had done it before, and the fist-size chasm in his guts had only just sealed up after all. The humes saw fit to clear out seeing as the L'Cie was moving and all, certainly not wishing to run the risk of breathing the wrong way and incur his wrath.

Out of the moving mass of humes stood one figure resolute, unafraid perhaps out of sheer ego, arms crossed and in a cutoff t-shirt and her underwear. Hair mussed and without any piercings. Clearly just out of bed.

"What's new pussy cat?" she asked with a snicker, one brow lifted.

"I'm in no mood for you." Caius grumbled.

"Hmph, then you're gonna _love_ this," another small laugh. "After your glorious fuck up, Nabaat's decided to put_ me_ in charge."

His icy eyes narrowed on Reflux, both curious and indignant. "You can't be serious."

"As a heart attack, hair-ball. I'm calling the shots now, so get your shit wired so we can get the hell out of this cum stain of a wasteland."

And as she turned and started away from him, all he could do was growl.

"You have never liked her."

His savage visage softened in an instant, became almost fatherly at the soothing sound of Yeul's voice, at the touch of her comparatively tiny hand on his shoulder.

"What's to like," his eyes skimmed away momentarily. "What were you doing here anyhow? You could've been hurt."

"You were in danger." she replied matter-of-factly. "I had to protect you."

His incredible paw settled over her hand, talons now retracted. He almost smiled, remembering why she was the only other living thing he had ever cared about. "But I told you to stay away, that it wasn't safe."

"The hume would have killed you." she said, and while the worry wasn't in her soft voice, it was in her face with the gentle knitting of her brow.

"If she could find a way, perhaps. Did you read her thoughts?"

"I tried." and the frustration returned, Yeul sinking to her knees and scooting closer to Caius as he was still sitting on the pavement. "But she wouldn't let me see much."

"Oh?" and his shock was real. There was nary a mind too strong for Yeul, certainly not a human one. "What did you find then?"

"She knows the weapon from before," she said, though more quietly so only Caius could hear, "before they gave her claws."

"Is that so?" intrigue twisted his features, curled the corner of his mouth to reveal a flash of teeth. "Maybe we can use that to our advantage."

"What about Six?"

"She would surely get in the way." a small growl inched into his tone. "Something will have to be done."

"Are you going to kill her?" not that she was concerned, but simply curious.

"I don't believe so. I doubt I'll have to." and it was a heartfelt assumption. Reflux being the way she was, she would likely do the honors on her own. "But we will see. Now come, we're moving again."

With a nod she slipped her arms around his neck, perching on his hip and being held steady by just one of his hands.

_(III)_

Fang remembered now, remembered the bonding process.

Remembered the stabbing of dozens if not hundreds of syringes pumping molten metal into her, the searing of the radiation across her skin. Clear as crystal, like it happened yesterday, every memory laced with pain brought out of hiding by the horrendous burning still lingering in her bones.

It came back to her in a flurry of images behind closed lids, nightmares she couldn't wake up from. Flashes of red, scrapes of pain, sounds muffled and undefined, blurred like the images of wires appearing to sprout out of her flesh. The sensation of no control, the terror of it, limbs thrashing and body contorting at the behest of somesthesia. All of this and she just couldn't wake up. Forced to ride it out.

When she did come to, her eyes opened suddenly, but just as quickly screwed shut again. The light was just too bright. She winced against it, groaning, making herself move to try and sit up. Her skin felt dry, pulled to tight and cracking as she moved, her fingers and toes tingling. She felt the claws retract slowly, their usual sting seeming more potent.

"Ya best be holdin' still, Miss Fang,"

"Get off me," she blindly swatted at Moira's hand, grumbling her blatant refusal. Fang didn't feel like being coddled right now.

She opened her eyes, blinking until her vision cleared. One of them was still unfocused, even the color of the iris off as it was still trying to fully heal. She looked herself over, shoes gone along with her uniform jacket, wires suctioned to the bare skin. Nope, couldn't stand for that, and she began to tear them away.

"Now stop that!" Moira was quickly loosing her patience.

"Or you'll what?" And the look she cut into the geneticist with was sharp, eyes narrow.

"I'll put ya down," she was quick to say, "I'll sedate ya I will! Dinnae be thinkin' I'm scared o' ya!"

"Dr. MacTaggart, maybe you should just let her be."

Moira said nothing, but tensed from head to toe, fists shivering at her side as she took a deep breath and forced herself to walk away from. Her computer was more cooperative anyway.

Fang turned her body slowly, muscles tight, and let her legs dangle over the side of the examination table. She lifted her head, smiling somewhat pitifully as Lebreau came in to focus.

"Hey, sweetheart. You okay?"

"I'll make it." Lebreau took unhurried strides towards the table, standing in front of her fellow L'Cie. She took Fang's hands. "How do you feel?"

"Rough," no hesitation, her head shook sluggishly, hanging between her shoulders. "But I've had worse." and the testament was honest now, she could remember worse. "Besides...you're here...not so bad."

Lebreau smiled, blushing a little with a modest laugh. Though it suddenly stopped as Fang leaned into her, head resting on her chest and arms wrapping about her waist, gripping. Fang needed something soft, something comforting, anything to counteract all the razor sharp aches and pains rattling through her. Although, much to her confusion, she wouldn't find it here. Not with her, as Lebreau softly pushed her back.

"What's the matter?"

For a moment she couldn't look Fang in the eye. "We need to talk."

"Now?" That was the last thing she wanted to do, and it showed in her expression. "Can't we just cuddle?"

"It's important." Lebreau insisted gently, her hands still on Fang's shoulders.

After a moment, her disbelieving dismay holding, she relented with a shrug. "Okay. What's wrong?"

Lebreau took a breath, perhaps gathering the words. She still couldn't meet Fang's gaze. "I think...we need to stop."

"Stop? But we just started," Fang didn't need to ask what she was referring to. "We were just gettin' to the good part," which was true as far as she could see. _This_ close to getting Lebreau naked, which had been her ultimate goal since the urge to hump everything in sight settled in.

"I know," she seemed pained to say. "But...there's something...someone else."

"What?"

"It's complicated."

Someone else? How? Who? "I...I don't understand. What am I doin' wrong?" Was it all the flirting?

"No, it's not you. Etro...it's not even me." Lebreau shook her head, seemingly lost. "It's...Lightning."

"What the hell does buzz-kill barbie have to do with this?" _She doesn't swing that way, does she?_

"I think...I have this feeling that she _knows_ something...something about you."

"So?"

"Well, I just...I feel like you need to get your life back together before we go any further." Lebreau's gaze was drifting further and further away it seemed.

"What...ya mean my memories?" she watched as Lebreau nodded. "I don't care about that, that doesn't matter. I care about _you_, _you_ matter."

"But...what if there's someone who cares about you and you don't remember? Don't they matter?"

Fang had never thought about it like that, never considered for a second that there might have been someone else, someone lost in the mess bouncing between her ears. Maybe because there never had been before, no one that mattered that much. Being a drifter, it wasn't exactly easy to come by someone like that.

"It just doesn't feel right...like I might be hurting someone." Lebreau confessed with an exhale. "Then again it could just be me seeing something that isn't there." though what she saw on the Diablo looked real enough. Naturally she didn't believe it at first, considering Lightning's general no-fucks-given about the lot of them. But that didn't make it disappear. "We should...let's take a break...just until it's sorted out."

Fang frowned, brow low as she leaned back, arms bracing behind her, no longer in contact with Lebreau. Then she growled, trying and failing to hide it in a frustrated huff of air. "I get it. Maybe you're right...doesn't mean I like it."

"I'm sorry." Finally her eyes lifted, searching for Fang's. "Don't hate me."

Fang laughed, though didn't look at her. "I couldn't do that iffin' I wanted to, sweetheart. Ya've been too good t'me. Still...the more I think of it, the more sense ya make...the only thing I don't like about ya." another chuckle, hoping to diffuse how shitty she was feeling now. Didn't really help. Her body straightened, putting her feet on the floor. She started walking.

"Where are you going?"

"Sunshine an' I need to have a little chat."

"But it's the middle of the night, can't it wait?"

"Nah. It's been too long comin' as it is. G'night, sweetheart."

Lightning would have no luck sleeping when she finally did decide to retire, going at an easy pace from the commissary to her dorm. She would lay in bed for the better part of an hour or two, tossing and turning, trying every position of sleep she could think of with no luck in any of them being comfortable enough to lull her. It eventually built into a firm frustration that settled in her chest and left her wide awake, clearly restless. Pacing her room didn't really help, though it made her consider that some exercise might help her relax. Maybe a jog, or maybe she needed the illusion of being completely alone, if just for a moment.

Mind you she felt sufficiently sleepy the moment she set foot outside her dorm, but that was typical for insomniacs; that is, feeling tired whenever you're not in bed. Light managed to find the elevator after getting her corridors crossed a few times -they all look the same anyway- and would take it down to the recreation floor. She would find it like she hoped to, empty, quiet, only the echo of her own footsteps bouncing off the walls. Perfect. Just a few laps and she'd be able to sleep. At least she hoped.

For the better part of an hour she would run, mind free of stray thoughts, perfectly focused on her current task. Something she had been having increasing trouble doing these days. It was a pleasant reprieve. That is, until she suddenly stopped mid-stride, having caught a glimpse of something in the corner of her eye, something that wasn't there before. Or was it?

Fang was a dark shape against the wall, arms crossed, ankles crossed, chin tilted low and eyes tracking. She had come in the door a few minutes ago, quiet, unnoticed, and had been watching, thinking. Wondering what words she was in the mood to use.

_Hey, sunshine, I just got friendzoned out of somethin' really good, an' I need you to tell me why._

Yeah, subtle. But, then again, she didn't feel like being subtle. She felt tired, sore, and fed up to _here_.

Lightning took a breath, trying to steady herself. "How'd you find me?"

"Like I had ta look." Fang sniffed, then tapped the side of her nose with her finger, smirking as she leaned away from the wall and started taking casual steps across the gym floor. Lightning saw her almost as a stalking predator, never noticed how her own feet began retreating.

"I wanna talk to ya."

"Can't it wait?"

"Well," her head listed. "I'd say I've been pretty damn patient as it is. Don't you?"

No answer and Lightning stood stock still, now her back to the wall.

"I gave ya space, gave ya time, thinkin' maybe you would come about, but ya didn't. That's awful rude of ya."

Now they were inches apart, giving Light the opportunity to realize just how tall the wild L'Cie was compared to herself. Almost towering, and those green eyes were bearing down on her, one still slightly off colored.

"So let's save ourselves a lot of trouble and you just come clean, eh?"

Light felt her heart pounding, heat rising into her face. Her breathes were quickening, though she tried to keep it steady. Her inhaler was in her dorm. The shakes were coming on, nerves strung out.

This was it. No more running, no more hiding. There was no getting away from it anymore.

"Well?"

Light felt her jaw move, mouth opening to speak, but no words came out right away. She seemed to struggle.

Fang took another half step forward, now their features but inches apart. Her eyes narrowed, gaze sharp. "Who_ are _you?"

Lightning swallowed hard, in a fashion that she knew Fang's sensitive hearing would pick up even if she couldn't hear it herself. The wall felt solid up her spine, unmoving as she pressed against it perhaps wishing she could just disappear into the concrete bricks.

_Just fucking say it!_ Her mind was screaming.

Fine.

"Three days," she managed out, throat tight and voice touch and go. "That's how long I knew you. I was staying in Kalm waiting for payment on my latest job. It was only supposed to be a one-night layover, but it took longer than that, so I got a room at the Gallant Stag." Right across the street from the Laughing Wolf. "When my client called me that night, told me the money would be late, I thought I'd go out for a drink. Nothing else to do in a town that small."

And while she spoke, Fang watched her carefully, sniffed the air for traces of a lie. And though the hume's eyes were low and away, they were steady in their aversion. She was stable.

"I even wore a nice shirt." Light laughed, almost smiling, remembering the smoky air of the bar, the stink of cigars and bourbon and possibly vomit. The hustle and bustle of almost-drunk and shit-faced-drunk patrons. She had sat at the bar on her first visit, elbow to elbow with a couple others that weren't worth really recalling. "I ordered a White Russian. Always a White Russian followed up with a Car Bomb. The bartender's name was Lydia."

One dusky brow lifted. She didn't take her for the type to drink Car Bombs. That was a particular type of drinker, the angry kind. Light seemed more like the kind whose emotions barely tipped the needle. Total control.

"One of the bouncers tried to get fresh with me. He was drunk off his ass. Well, he smelled like it." Big fat guy, big arms covered in coarse hair, ash stains on his pudgy fingers, and his breath was foul with alcohol. "Then...you came along."

Almost like one of those corny romantic-comedies you tell all your friends you wouldn't pay to see if your life depended on it. Or even some super-hero comic where they swoop in for the save at the last possible moment. Sounds stupid, but there was just no other way to describe it, something beyond coincidence. It just...it couldn't have _just_ happened.

"We just started talking...until the bar closed. I couldn't tell you how it happened." Normally she went to a bar to drink, not to socialize. That's what a bar was for, _drinking_. And in case no one noticed, Lightning wasn't the most...people-friendly type. Not to mention that Fang wasn't the first woman that had ever approached her. There had been at least three or four, before she even realized she way gay, that had made passes. Fruitlessly, mind you. She would either turn them down outright or take the ostrich strategy and just wait until they lost interest. But that didn't work this time. Something, she would discover, was _very_ different about Fang.

Whatever it was, struck her, made her want to come back the next night after getting stiffed by her client again. And the next.

"By the time the bar closed that third night...I did something I'd never done...I asked you out." another laugh, a small one colored with disbelief. She remembered driving Fang to her truck that night in the car she was renting, chomping at the bit the entire time waiting for her answer. "Imagine my surprise when you said yes." Surprise didn't even begin to cover it. Stunned maybe, blown away? Floored? "We were supposed to meet at seven the next night. But...you never showed up."

Fang's brow furrowed, tight lines around her eyes. She was still telling the truth, though it would've been easy to believe either way. She'd totally jump Light's bones under normal circumstances. Or abnormal ones, whichever tickled her fancy.

"First thing in the morning I went to the Laughing Wolf, talked to Chuck, thought maybe you got called in and wasn't able to tell me. He hadn't seen you. Then I checked your truck, maybe you just forgot. But you weren't there. There wasn't a trace of you. Not long after that I got in touch with Serah, and she convinced me to let the others help." and it was shortly after NORA got involved that Light would learn Fang's secret.

"Wait a tick," a slight hiss, an eyebrow quirking. "You don't like L'Cie. You barely _care_," she saw Lightning's expression flux and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I hear things. So what changed, eh?"

The million gil question. One she _still_ didn't have the answer for. "Maybe...I knew if I didn't pull through for you, no one else would."

"Don't feed me that crap." Fang shook her head, that thick lupine hair swishing across her back. "You've been avoiding me like the plague since day one. Don't you _dare_ try an' tell me any different now just because you're feelin' guilty."

"You wanted the truth, I'm giving it to you." Light's features firmed.

"All right," Fang nodded, looking away briefly as she took a breath. "Then what's all the hidin' for? Why keep it secret?"

"It...I," she had rehearsed the reasons hundreds of times, using them to reinforce her belief that what she was doing was right. Was noble.

"It was part of my _life_! What the _hell_ gives you the right to keep it from me?"

And the shout was jarring, her lips curled back in a snarl, bearing fangs that Light had never noticed before. Not often close enough to notice.

"Is it 'cause my DNA don't line up right? 'Cause Mother Nature decided to put the square peg in the round hole? _That_ makes ya think you know what's best for me?"

"_Stop_," Light pleaded, though pitifully as she couldn't find the oomph she needed. But it still served its purpose. "I...you looked happy with her. I didn't want to ruin it."

Expression still tight, savage lines around her eyes and mouth, Fang reigned herself in. The claws were threatening to pop as her fists clenched at her sides.

"It wouldn't have been fair." Light continued, almost timid. "PSICOM...they tried to take everything from you. Your life...your freedom...your humanity...I didn't want to be them. You deserve the right to choose...and that meant keeping my mouth shut." Just keep quiet and ignore that hope she held out that Fang would remember on her own, or more so, hold out that whatever it was about her that said yes...would still choose her.

But how could she have expected that to work, considering her aversion to even speak to Fang these last few weeks? The L'Cie was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. She wouldn't pursue someone who didn't show any interest.

It was quiet for a long while. Too long, the silence heavy. Oppressive. Neither moved, attempted to, or even tried a gesture of further inquiry or explanation.

Then, "All that trouble...just 'cause ya wanted a piece o' this?"

Light looked up at her, eyes wide, embarrassed almost, and eyebrows high.

"You humes are somethin' else." and Fang shook her head.

Light thought she felt the tension dissipate. But that wasn't quite true.

In a blink the claws popped and stabbed into the cement near her temples, the top bend of her ears. Lightning winced, pressing harder against the wall that still refused to budge. It was like seeing the savage again, that night at the compound. The heated breath, the angry eyes. Her fingers flexed, her trigger finger curling, though her hand was empty. Unarmed.

Which should have come as no surprise considering Lightning was in her pajamas. No pockets, no holsters, just a tank top and boy shorts.

Fang was angry, sure, and it showed in the setting of her eyes which she fully intended. But there weren't any words that she could find to adequately describe how she was feeling, so a physical display was necessary. Flash the fangs, claws, make clear your displeasure and surely your agitator would understand. It works for wolves, gods damn it. A low growl rumbled in her chest, the muscles in her jaw tightened, molars creaking. Her head tilted between her hunched shoulders, to the side, eyes staying level on Lightning. Nostrils flared, taking in her scent.

Lightning didn't know what to do, what to say if there was anything. All she could manage was to remain still, perhaps unconsciously hoping Fang wouldn't hurt her.

Quite the opposite actually.

They were so close, noses nearly touching, but in spite of that Fang felt the need to move quickly. She crushed her lips to Lightning's, swift, capturing, pouncing. Light's breath hitched in her chest, body squirming for a brief moment, hands jerking upward with fingers splayed apart. Her eyes remained wide, the cerulean shimmering with confusion.

Warm, soft lips, the pressure of teeth behind them...sweet Etro. Light couldn't stop herself from eventually accepting it, something she had only dreamed about before. She wanted to put her hands on her, feel her skin, her wolfish hair in her fingers. She even moved her hands to do so, but only managed to find empty space as Fang drew away as suddenly as she had approached. There was the chime of metal scraping stone, the claws releasing the wall, and Fang walking away, regarding the hume no more. She shoved the doors open, leaving three gashes in one of them.

It happened so fast, for a moment, all Light could do was stand and stare, hands still raised and holding emptiness.

So...that was it?

It was somewhat surreal, as if she wasn't sure it all really happened. It sure as hell was taking its sweet time sinking in. Her arms dropped to her side, her body turning, and she began walking, towards that door at the far end of the gym, the one granting access to the smaller rooms. She took the length of the corridor nearly to its end, to the door just before the firing range. The Rage Cage everyone called it. It was empath, telepath, and sound proof. As if she'd done it a million times before, Light allowed herself in, locking the door behind her.

All there was in the room was a lumpy beanbag chair, a worn looking piece of furniture that looked to have patches of duck tape to keep the innards from spilling out. Lightning crossed the room to flop into it -_whump_- with limbs sprawling outward, and for a solid minute she simply sat there looking only slightly confused. Then it hit her. She started to breath, heavier and heavier, chest moving in a flurry, and she just started crying. Not just crying, sobbing; hands to her face and knees to her chest. This went on for several minutes, severe, wracking her shivering frame with heavy tremors as the sounds emerged.

But when she relaxed, head tilting back with tears streaming down her face, she was smiling. Almost euphoric. It was finally done, the secret was out and no longer a burden. She was free of it.

And it felt so _good_.

Author's Note: So yeah, now we know. Not any fine details, but that'll come later, gimme some time. But at least they've kissed right? And Light has officially graduated from hobo to buzz-kill barbie. All must rejoice. I'm going to go ahead and get started on the next chapter, and rest assured the action isn't over just yet. With Six in the driver's seat, we can only guess what's coming. Enjoy, and thanks for your patience.


	15. Chapter 14

**XIII**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Too many things to think about, that was enough to keep anyone awake, never mind how tired they were. This was Fang's predicament as she was holed up in her dorm, staring at the ceiling as she lay on her back in bed, hands behind her head. In the sufficient glow of her side table lamp she watched the smoke rings she made after every puff of her half-burned cigar. Her eyes were narrowed, contemplative, thoughts a mile a minute, pausing only long enough to remember the beer she had tucked against the hollow of her shoulder. Sitting so long it had started to get warm. Nothing sucks more than warm beer.

Well...maybe nothing was too strong a word. The way her gray matter was buzzing wasn't staying so low on the suck-o-meter. A big pile of shit just getting higher and higher.

At the bottom was PSICOM, but that was nothing to be surprised about. They'd been a pain in her backside since the get-go. Though that discomfort had steadily increased with the events of -what was now- last night. With this Caius bastard. In the beginning she thought she only disliked the look of him, but then found the rest of him was equally disagreeable. Thinking about it, Fang was able to find vague memories of him, the smell of him being the most potent recollection. Strong, thorough, she could almost taste it. Coupled with the echoes of his primal roar and the look of his fangs and claws, the pain of them still fresh in her mind, made her so uneasy. It took a lot to scare Fang, and he did it.

Because Caius, she realized without even trying, was everything she was afraid of becoming. It seemed like he had embraced his mutation to such a degree that the line between man and beast blurred. No, there was no line. They were one.

Her brow furrowed and she exhaled another collection of smoke rings slowly. Then she sipped her beer. She knew it was her ultimate fate to lose to that animal that was such an integral part of her, that thing she knew of but never admitted to, laced into her very cells. And there was no getting away from it. Maybe put it off, but not escape. One day -maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even in the next twenty years- it was going to happen. It was hard enough just to think about it, and it was terrifying to actually see. This fear coupled with shame had driven her away from home. Now it was just looking to drive her crazy.

In the middle of that pile of troubles were the resurfacing memories. Damn near crippling with their intensity at times, they seemed to scrape and crash together between her ears. And not all of them fit so well, out of order or incomplete. Before, all she could remember with any clarity was how much it hurt, now she was beginning to understand _why_. The pain had a foundation, a cause, making it all the more staggering.

_How the hell did PSICOM even know I existed?_ She had to wonder, sifting through what she could recall, maybe hoping to find something that might answer that. And even if they had already known, which wasn't much of a stretch if you think about it, how did they know where to look for her? Unless they had agents crawling all over that tiny town, someone had to have tipped them off.

Immediately something in her had a suspicion. _Lightning?_

She had worked with PSICOM on multiple occasions, that much Fang knew. But would she rat her out?

_You never know with humes. The way they lie...makes ya think they got L'Cie powers of their own. Then again...maybe if I could remember..._

Those few nights before the shit hit the fan were still a no show with all the other memories popping up like daisies in a cemetery. Those nights that she had supposedly spent a great portion of with the hume currently in question.

The hume who was at the top of that pile we've been talking about.

Fang still had her scent, remnants of it on her lips filled her nostrils with every breath. She'd admit to liking it, the subtlety, the cool, clean tone of it. The taste of her hadn't been so bad either. When it came to the physicality of her, Lightning was grade-A tail. Fang would tap that in a heartbeat, though that wasn't saying much considering how bad she'd been jonesing for a fuck lately -which was going to get worse before it got better. Almost made her wish she could just menstruate like normal broads do.

In any case, as strong as her sense of smell was, nothing stirred memories of Lightning. As much as Fang might have wanted it to. It wasn't for the reason you would initially think. Well, not the only reason. It wasn't just because she was a piece of the puzzle, of Fang's puzzle still scattered and dim, but there was an unspoken, unknown link between them. Something she couldn't quite yet give a name to. She had to know where it went, how deep and how far it would go. She and the hume were connected somehow, bound in such an intricate way that it was impossible to have formed so quickly. Not in supposedly three days. There was more. There had to be.

Fang licked her lips, still tasting her. Funny...no one had ever _lingered_ like this before. Not even Lebreau. It certainly wasn't for the lack of trying. To put it simply, our wild L'Cie has been around the block more than a few times, playing whatever side of the street that tickled her fancy at the time, or whichever side got the truck repaired whenever her pockets had nothing but pennies, moths, and holes in the bottom. And it should go without saying that those blocks weren't always in the nice part of town.

Sex is money when you're good looking and broke.

_Do what ya gotta do._

Fang cringed, shotgunned the last of her beer and tossed the can across the room. _Ka-plink_ it hit the wall and then the floor, rolling an inch or two before coming to a halt. As the small echoes stopped she felt her jaw steadily tighten, the crisp crunch of tobacco under her teeth. A small shrug.

But what happens when you don't know what you've gotta do?

_It'll come to ya, it always does. Give it a little more time._

_(–)_

If I were to put it gently, I would say that Lightning was distracted. Her gaze was distant though seemingly glued to the floor as she sat in Moira's lab, hunched with elbows resting on her thighs while sitting in a chair beside the doctor's desk. But if I were to be honest, I would say that Lightning wasn't so much distracted as she had her mind neck deep in the gutter. As of roughly twelve or more hours ago, her train of thought had become so... The kiss kept playing back over and over, her imagination sometimes taking it further, at a blurred pace that almost confused her. Something to do with tearing clothes, the flash of claws, shimmering green eyes and heat gathering at the apex of her thighs. She had never felt this way before. Not over anyone. Her lack of focus was almost...unnerving.

Although she wasn't so out there that she didn't notice Moira's approach with a syringe in her hand. She shied slightly. "What's that?"

The geneticist's expression quirked subtly, as if she didn't mean to be caught. "I've reformulated the serum, seein' as ya've still got the breathin' problems."

"Couldn't you tell me these things before you try and sneak it to me?"

Moira's brow thickened, light flickering off the lenses of her glasses. "D'ya want it or nae?"

Light pushed her sleeve up. "Just saying." and then winced slightly as the needle sank in. "Why couldn't I just get a transfusion?"

"Funny ya should ask." her tone changed substantially, almost softened. "I've found that a L'Cie's blood type changes as the mutation progresses. Over the course of puberty it may undergo...a dozen or more variations. In the end, all L'Cie have the same blood type an' can -therefore- give blood ta one another, though cannae donate ta humans."

"I see. Makes sense."

"Aye." a nod punctuated the word. "As much as I wish it were that simple. But, otherwise, the first dose dinnae 'ave any adverse affects?"

"Not that I've noticed."

"An' yer hand?"

Light flexed her hands, the wrist still bearing faint white streaks of scars. "Works fine." There had been minor nerve damage, weakening her gripping strength, but it had resolved.

"I'm on the right track then, at least."

Somehow that wasn't the most comforting thing Lightning thought she could say. "Didn't think guinea pig was part of the job description."

"Did ya read the fine print?" and she smirked.

No. But who does? "Was there anything else you wanted?"

"Aye, just a couple questions if you're of the mind."

"What about?"

"Young Esthiem described t'me your encounter with the telepath. Mayhaps ya could give me more details; what did ya experience exactly?"

Light's brow knitted, trying to arranger her thoughts and remember last night's encounter with Yeul through all the...other stuff. "Well...just felt like...someone slapped me. Nothing much to it other than that."

"I see. Have ya ever been subject to a telepath's influence before?"

"Not that I know of. I mean, Cid has spoken to me like that before."

"What did it feel like?"

_Like someone reading my diary_. "A touch...deeper than my skin. If that makes any sense."

"An' ya didn't experience this?"

"No. It was more physical. More..._tangible"_

"Hm, interesting." Moira tapped her sharp cheekbone with one finger. "Do ya have any metal plates in yer head by chance?" She had read Lightning's file, but knew those were only good for so much. And most any metal in sufficient quantities was enough to interfere with telepathy.

"No."

"Would ya care if I ran a few additional tests?"

"How long would that take?" Because, to be frank, she was hungry enough to eat the ass out of a skunk.

"Mayhaps an hour. Would it keep ya from anythin' pressin'?"

"No. Go ahead."

"Thank ya kindly. Now give me a moment ta make the arrangements, I'll be back shortly." and she disappeared into her office after a few brisk strides across the laboratory floor. As she passed it on the way to a filing cabinet, Moira kicked her chair -not having to look- closer to her desk, that being her next destination. She pulled Lightning's file, just in case she would need it, save her from having to get up. Once comfortable in her chair, backside fitting in its usual imprint in the seat, Moira pulled open a drawer and began fishing through it. She would need blood, as usual, and arranged a collection of vials on the desk, meaning to label each of them in a moment.

The monitor blinked to life, pulled out of its sleep mode with a nudge of the mouse. Without hesitation she began to work, fingers a blur on the keyboard inputting commands. She was going to need some CTs done; she had heard of humes able to resist telepaths before, though a vast majority of them were able due to some sort of malady such as a tumor. Naturally she would want to rule that out as quickly as possible.

In the midst of her systematic labeling the phone beside her computer rang. Refusing to answer until she had finished, she cursed quietly to herself, an auburn brow hiking steadily towards her hairline. When the ringing continued even after she had written and applied all of the labels, some half-dozen, she knew it could only be one person. She pressed the receiver to her ear with her shoulder, having gone back to the keyboard.

"Aye, Mr. Raines, what is it?"

_"Good morning to you as well, Moira."_ a chuckled carried over the line._ "How are you?"_

"I'm _busy_." and her tone meant to convey how stupid a question that was.

_"Not too busy to indulge me in a little chit-chat, I hope."_

"It's nae like I 'ave much choice. Considerin' who signs my checks an' all."

_"Come now, it's not that bad. Feel free to tell me no. You can even hang up on me if you want."_

"Aye, but ya'd call right back."

_"True."_ another chuckle. _"So how are my girls holding up?"_

"I suppose as well as we can hope."

_"Learn anything new and exciting after last night's assignment?"_

"I'm in the process of findin' out. Though excitin' innae exactly the word I'd use."

_"Is there a problem?"_

"Mayhaps. I've reason ta believe that the adamantium may be inhibitin' Miss Fang's healin' factor."

_"Oh? That stands to be rather problematic, doesn't it?"_

"Aye. I ken it's hinderin' the hematopoietic process, so the regeneration takes that much longer."

_"Is there anything to be done about it?"_ and there was a slight pause before he spoke, as if he needed a moment to decipher what she said.

"Unless ya can convince her ta undergo surgery, I dinnae think so. An' even if ya could, I dinnae have the tools."

_"I suppose we'll just take it as it comes then."_

"It would be the best option." and as calm and calculating as she sounded, her expression was set with agitation. She had shit to do. "An' as for the elder Farron, I'm in the middle of a session with her."

_"Is something wrong?"_

"Dunno yet." Moira pinched her lip between her teeth as hand decided to rebel mid-label and force her to start again. "Did ya hear about how she resisted a level seven telepath?"

_"I did. Mr. Esthiem was so kind as to give me a detailed report earlier this morning. I'm assuming you're looking into how she might have been able to do that?"_

"Aye."

_"You know, it could be she's just that well guarded. It's not always going to be a tumor."_

"I _know_." she almost snapped.

_"But you _have_ to rule it out all the same, don't you?"_

Moira pulled the receiver from her ear, giving it the most severe look she could muster, face scrunching, almost _praying_ that Cid would feel it. She _hated_ him sometimes, and huffed with a shake of her head. Then responded oh-so calmly. "Aye, I do."

_"Of course. Speaking of Lightning, how goes the serum therapy?"_

"I gave her the new formula a short while ago. So far she still has asthma symptoms."

_"Though otherwise well?"_

"Aye."

_"Good, good."_ you could almost hearing him smiling, nodding too. _"Then I suppose I'll stop being such a bother and let you finish your work."_

"Augh, you're too kind." she rolled her eyes, sarcasm heavy enough to kill someone.

_"Keep me updated, won't you?"_

"Naturally. Good day, Mr. Raines." and she put the phone back in its cradle with a loud _clack_, ending the conversation before he could reciprocate the parting gesture. While still cursing in some sort of Gaelic gibberish she finished her labels, gathered the necessities and left the office. She would put Light through a battery of tests following the blood drawing, checking her out from head to toe and leaving no bit un-prodded or un-poked before sending her on her way.

Moira wouldn't find anything so serious as a tumor. In fact she wouldn't find anything. At least not right away.

_(-)_

_(That evening)_

"You've been awful agreeable lately." Serah said without looking away from her computer screen. "You haven't scowled in days, what happened?"

"Huh?" Light was sitting on her sister's bed in her dorm, reading a random book she had plucked from the bookshelf a stretch away. "What's that?"

"I sense a disturbance in your force." she reiterated. "So did a new issue of Guns 'n Ammo come in or what?"

"Oh. No." Light shook her head, closing the book and setting it aside. She stretched out of her cross-legged position and laid long across the bed. She crossed her arms and propped her chin on them. Before she spoke again she regarded her sibling with a degree of curiosity. Serah had one of those beer helmet things strapped to her head, but instead of beer the holsters were occupied by Red Dragon energy drinks, and it had been somewhat jerry-rigged to fit around her headset. "Um...I just..."

"You came out, didn't you?"

Both rosy brows lifted, then settled. "I guess. Not really but...I didn't have to say anything. Hope figured it out...so did Fang. I just...I finally got a lot of monkeys off my back. Feels pretty good."

"I bet. Surprise, cockbags!"

Light just assumed that last bit wasn't directed at her.

"So I guess you two have finally sorted things out?"

"Not everything." she replied, her tone somewhat distant, contemplative. "But at least it isn't keeping me up at night anymore." In fact she had been getting the best sleep in months lately. Wet dreams not withstanding.

"And you're not avoiding her like she's got mange." Serah added without a lick of subtlety.

Lightning only nodded, humming her response as her thoughts wandered a little. It would be an absolute tragedy if Fang had mange. With that hair? Gods, Lightning would go into a period of mourning.

"We're talking."

"More so than before, which is saying something. Suck frag grenade, nooblet!" Serah punctuated the battle cry with an almost sinister cackle. "So when are you going to tell mom?"

That question caught the eldest Farron off guard, you could see it in the way her face lengthened with surprise. "Um...I don't know. How would I reach her?"

"Cid gave me the new number. You want to call her?"

"Maybe...not right now."

"You should. Or you'll just put it off. You know you will. My cell phone is on the bookshelf, she's already on speed-dial."

"But-,"

"_You _do it or _I_ will." Serah finally managed to look away, meeting her sister's eyes for perhaps a second. "And you _know_ I'm not bluffing."

Yup, she did. Serah was the biggest tattle-tail she'd ever known. But what else are sister's for, right?

_Best to do it on your own terms. Yeah. That's true too._

Light took a breath, pushing up on her arms to shift back into a sitting position, her feet on the floor over the edge of the bed. She found the phone laying on the shelf as Serah said, somehow zeroing in on it even in this dim light coming from the monitor.

"Just hit two and send."

"Okay." Light nodded, grabbing the small device and standing as she did so. She began to pace as her fingers started pressing buttons. She took a deep breath, trying to steady her already thrumming pulse. After the first two buzzes of the dial-tone, she got a little impatient.

_"Hello?"_

"Mom,"

_"Hey sweetheart, how are you?"_ she sounded happier than usual to hear the voice of her eldest.

"I'm okay."

_"You enjoying the new job?"_

"I'm getting used to it." she nodded, smiling a little. "What about you?"

_"I'm having a blast, honey, really. Have you heard from Serah? Is she back from her conference yet?"_

"Yeah. She's fine." another breath, quiet, hoping her mother wouldn't hear. "Actually, mom, there was something I wanted to talk to you about."

_"Of course, anything."_

"Well, more so something I need to tell you." another breath, this one she held for a moment.

_"Honey, is everything okay?"_

"Yeah, it's just," she took a deep breath, "...I'm gay."

The silence that stretched from the other end of the line, however far away that was, was wracking. Light's nerves were pulled taught, her heart racing. It lasted perhaps a minute. And all the while she paced, back and forth, back and forth.

_Gods...say something. Anything._

_"Are you sure?"_

Light managed to let her breath go, almost amused by her mother's response. "I am. I've...I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately."

_"Well...if it makes you happy...though you're going to have to give me some time. It's just...are you _sure_?"_

"Yes, mom. I'm sure."

_"Okay. So...is...is there...anyone yet?"_

"Don't know. Maybe."

_"Did you...two meet at work?"_

"Sort of, yeah. It's kind of...a new thing."

_"Oh...sounds nice."_ though her tone of voice wasn't so supportive of her words. And the secondary hush that fell over the line didn't help matters much. Then _"Are you sure?"_

The amusement bubbled up again, relieving some of the anxiety. She'd gotten a similar speech from her mother when she decided to join the military, though it was decided less sedate than this.

"Yes, mom, I'm sure." she repeated for the last time. "I hope...does this change anything?"

_"Well, yes, it does, but...I still love you. Just...like I said, give me some time. Does your sister know?"_

"Yeah. She was the fist one I told." Light's pacing had slowed, though she still worked her way from one end of the room to the other.

_"I'm sorry you didn't feel like you could come to me, honey."_

"It wasn't that, mom. Not entirely. I guess...I needed to accept it too. Realize it's really who I am."

_"I suppose I understand. But I want grandbabies,"_

"You have Serah."

_"But that guy...what's his name again?"_

"Snow."

_"Yeah, him. Isn't he retarded or something?"_

"No, mom. At least not on paper. There's still hope for them, after all they have to grow up eventually." and her eyes slid to her sister.

_"I'm not going to hold my breath on that, honey."_

Light nodded with a slight roll of her eyes. She could feel her heartbeat starting to settle. Maybe she had been fretting over nothing. "So have you docked anywhere interesting?"

_"Oh yes; we've stopped at this little place called Vile Island -not as bad it sounds, honey, really- and there were all these little wild sheep. They're cute as everything but like to throw big rocks at people."_

"Then why did they dock there if it was so dangerous?"

_"Best margaritas in the western hemisphere." _A little laugh drifted over the line. _"Though I'm afraid I have to let you go, honey; I actually have some work to do and I can't put it off any longer."_

"It's okay, I understand. Thanks for taking the time to talk with me."

_"Of course, I'm still your mother after all. I love you, Claire."_

"Love you too, mom. Good-bye."

_"Bye, sweetie...Are you su-,_" and that's when Light hung up, having heard just the tail end of her mother's question as she pulled the phone away from her ear and pressed the button. She shrugged, relived.

"I take it went well?" Serah asked.

"As well as I could've hoped."

"She's not going to disown you or anything?"

Light's brow quirked. "Were you expecting her to?"

"Honestly, I didn't know what to expect." Serah shook her head. "But I'm glad it's working out."

And while Lightning had a response, she paused, the words hitching when her sister suddenly sprang up from her chair, arms up above her head and flailing. She had a large smile so Light could only assume it was a good thing and not a seizure induced by far too many hours in front of a computer screen. "Five big ones!" she cheered. Then she began to bounce on the balls of her feet chanting "I got five-thousand gil! I got five-thousand gil!"

Light only watched, shaking her head slightly at the rare display.

_(-)_

It had been so quiet this week, comparatively anyway. One might almost call it boring. Although it was a prime opportunity for Lightning to observe her new teammates in their natural habitat. so to speak. To get to know them without all that pesky interaction, and instead watched as they went through their rituals and hobbies.

Lebreau was an origami enthusiast, which was only so surprising. She was sensitive, but not so much so to abhor paper cuts, and was now _this_ close to publishing a book full of the small mass of new designs she had created. Yuj had gotten her started, having brought the pass-time with him from Wutai. Light would sometimes see the two talking over a pile of paper cranes and flowers. When he wasn't with her, Yuj was in his room listen to music. Normally that wasn't an activity to lift a brow at, but his room was insulated very similarly to the Rage Cage, soundproofed, so it was the only place he could really enjoy the music without any outside interference. The only place he could relax.

If Maqui wasn't elbows deep in something electronic or building a new gadget he supposedly designed in his sleep, he would walk outside near the cliffs on the north side of the island, looking down at the waves crashing into the crags. Though he wouldn't usually dwell to far towards the west side, as Hope and Vanille liked to sequester that area for themselves. Usually they would just sit in the grass and talk, whale watch if it was the right time of year, but there were times when they would have lunch together outside. Or maybe play a few rounds of chess. If they weren't together -which was incredibly rare- Hope liked to read up on rare diseases and Vanille would video call her family.

Light was convinced they were fucking.

Moira worked. Always. If she wasn't sleeping or eating, she was working. And for those annoying interruptions known as bathroom breaks, she had a portable tablet wirelessly linked to her monitor.

Whenever one wasn't cooking and the other wasn't at the gym working on his dead lift, Gadot and Snow were total bros. And by this I mean they would spend a great deal of their free time in the billiard room on the rec floor, watching sports and playing pool.

This kind of activity was more Lightning's speed, having had similar activities to enjoy when she was deployed. Mind you she wasn't the best at the game, the guys at the 86th armored would wipe her out, but there was still a degree of enjoyment for her. It was relaxing, and presented a fair challenge. This is also where, she would learn, that Fang would spend her idle hours. Mostly sitting at the bar, quiet, sipping beer and puffing on a cigar while flipping through the channels.

The four of them were gathered there now, late in the week, nearly Sunday.

"Come on, Light, have a little mercy." Snow feigned his begging, supporting himself on the pool cue.

"No way. I never win this game." Light shook her head, leaning just so to aim the end of the stick at the large white marble. _Crack-pok-thump_, and the eight ball sank into the pocket. She straightened, smug, only slightly grinning. "Who's next?"

"Christ," Snow shook his head with a shrug. "I'm tired of the ass whipping. Gadot?"

"Nah, I know when I'm beat." the brute shook his head, laughing a little, tusks showing in his smile. "Besides, gotta start prepping for dinner. Pot roast tonight."

"Ooh, I wanna help."

"No, you'll lick everything." Gadot took his and Snow's cues and put them back on the rack, brushing any stray chalk from his hands. "I don't feel like cleaning up after you. Don't you have a girlfriend to pester?"

Snow didn't answer directly, catching Lightning's gaze just as his mouth opened. "Um, yeah. Maybe I'll go back to the gym for a bit. Catch you at dinner."

"Sure. Now I'm going to want a rematch," Gadot smirked in Light's direction, a smirk that grew when he caught her nod before following Snow out the door.

Light shook her head, chuckled quietly, and propped her stick against the wall as she grabbed the rack and began to pluck the balls from the pockets one by one.

All the while Fang was listening, her attention lingering between the pool table and the television.

"Care for a game?"

"Eh?" Fang twisted around on the bar stool, legs crossed and propped on her elbows once she settled, bronze and black flannel shirt open to reveal a white wife-beater. One puff of the cigar before she spoke again. "I don't think ya could handle me, darlin'."

"Let's find out."

Another puff, then finished her beer followed by a slight bounce of her shoulders. "S'your funeral." then she slid off the stool, putting her cigar out in the ashtray. She selected the heaviest stick on the rack, watching as Light gathered the balls together on the table. Watched a little too closely, if you ask me. But how couldn't she? Fang was still jonesing for a lay, and suspenders and OD fatigues were looking damn good on the mercenary. And that sleeveless black shirt was doing serious justice to her figure.

"Break?" Light asked, stick in hand.

"Nah, you go ahead. Ladies first."

"If you insist."

_Oh yeah, I insist. 'Specially if I can watch ya bend over in them fatigues again. Uh-huh, that's a girl._ Fang felt herself grinning. Sunshine had a nice rump.

The break crackled through the air, billiard balls scattered across the green velvet.

"You're stripes."

"Right." Fang nodded, still not entirely paying attention to the game. Not that she was really trying. She'd been pondering her co-worker for days, and now that she was right in front of her, that wasn't about to change. Certainly not with her scent in the air, somewhere in the cigar smoke that lingered. She wouldn't even notice Lightning's next two turns.

"Your shot." Light missed her third attempt.

"Thank ya kindly." Fang nodded once, smirking in her usual way.

Light watched her take a shot, watched the white ball miss its intended target, rolling by and bumping the edge of the table.

"Meh, it's been a while since I played last." was her excuse. "I'll get the next one."

"Too bad." Light took position behind the cue once again. "So...anything else come back to you?"

Fang was watching again, sniffing the air casually though was mentally trying to take in as much as she could. "Not really. Ain't for lack of tryin', though."

No, not for a lack of trying. Trying to focus through waking in sweats, up to three times in a night, shocked out of a nightmare. Trying to keep it together in the midst of flashbacks roused by the bathwater being too hot. _Water that could've been blood, scraping heat. Sparks, the shriek of adamantium on steel, pounding against the barriers. My whole body shaking, shuddering with pain. Four metal walls seeming to just close in, twisted tubes and wires holding me still. I just wanna scream "let me out, let me go", but words don't form. All I do is grunt and howl and cry. _But no, nothing else. Nothing of the woman who claimed to know her before.

Fang missed again. "Cripes, couldn' hit the broad side of a barn. Your turn."

"Even after we..." Light couldn't find the words as she stretched across the table, forcing the white orb across the velvet, marble cracking.

Fang chuckled. "Guess we hadn't done much of it." and her smirk only grew when she spied a slight redness to Lightning's face. "Which, if that's the case, I must've been off my game."

The heat in Light's face intensified. "Well...you were kind of my first...I wasn't in a hurry."

Dusky brows rose. "Oh. My bad."

"It's okay." Light continued with her next turn. By now she had a sizable lead on Fang, but also had a feeling she was the only one with any degree of attention towards the game. Her competition seemed noticeably distant in tone and expression. Thousand mile stare if you will.

Though Fang wouldn't admit to that much. Not a thousand miles, more like a few feet. She hooked the edge of her bottom lip with a sharp canine, emerald eyes glimmering with interest as her fingers drummed against the pool cue. At this point she didn't much care about the game, just soothing that dull itch under her skin, that itch everyone feels from time to time. She wanted more of that scent in her nose, more of that taste that made her mouth water.

Light was so focused on the shot that she didn't see or hear Fang move around the table. The crack of wood against marble coincided with nimble fingers twining in the twisted tresses against her left shoulder. She felt the weight of Fang's presence, straightening, no longer seeming to care if she made the shot. With her hands propped on the edge of the table, velvet under her fingertips, she turned her head. The cue slipped out of her hand at some point.

"What are you doing?" the question was hushed, breath hot, heart already thrumming.

"No worries, darlin'. Just thinkin'." with care she brought the pale roses to her nose, breathing them in. "Tryin' to remember." And she wanted to, _so bad_, bad enough that Fang couldn't resist getting closer. Her chest lined against Light's back, gave slightly under the timid resistance the mercenary posed. Fang's strong arms trapped her, hands settling next to Lightning's slightly smaller ones. Hips pressed against a rounded backside.

Light could feel a shaking starting in her stomach, organs twisting with nerves. Heat was gathering at her core, something she was _not_ accustomed to. She felt Fang's primal strength surrounding her, could feel her breath at the bare bend of her neck. Felt the rush of air as she took another deep breath through her nose, devouring her scent.

"Fang," she breathed.

"Easy, Sunshine." it was a low, comfortable sort of growl. "Not gonna hurt ya."

Though Lightning happened to look down, seeing the tendons in Fang's hands raised in tense relief, fingers curling into the table, and couldn't help but wonder if she might have been considering it somewhere in that jumbled mind.

Fang pushed a little closer, fingers curling tighter. The muscles in her jaw clenched. She _knew_ this scent, in itself was a memory, but there was no physical recollection of it. Like everything just _stopped._ So frustrating, infuriating almost. Her body tensed with it, as did Lightning's, perhaps out of wariness.

"You're all right," Fang assured her, toned still in a hushed growl. More of purr now, frustration slightly banked.

It was taking all of her self control for Light to keep her knees from knocking together. Not out of fear, but...oh gods. Small sparks fired in her skin, tingling, all the small hairs standing on end. Her cheeks were hot, red no doubt, and she couldn't quiet register if she was still breathing. She was, but the breaths were quick and quiet.

"Ya want me to stop?"

A wicked shiver crackled down her back as she felt the soft, warm press of lips at the nape of her neck. Her breath hitched in her chest, body suddenly straightening, her mouth opening as if to protest but no words emerged. She couldn't see but could feel Fang smirking against her skin.

"Best say somethin'," she chuckled softly, mouth still close to flesh, tasting carefully. "Less I take that as a no."

Light would admit that was the answer she wanted to give, deep down. There was no denying it. Weeks spent pondering, worrying over Fang had forged such an emotional attachment -something Lightning simply didn't do- that it became impossible to ignore the reaches to which such an interest would go. She was only a hume after all, full of flaws and frailties. And desire it would seem.

"Nothin' t'say? Then don't blame me," '_Cause I got no choice now. It's all instinct from here._

The animal was finally getting what it wanted.

Lightning shuddered, a choked breath escaping as she felt the pinch of Fang's teeth on her neck. Her knees buckled, but Fang caught her weight, a strong arm wrapping about her waist and keeping her steady. The motion also served to wedge her buttocks that much tighter to Fang's hips, which, by the subsequent snarl, Light could only assume was what she wanted. What a tight embrace...

Fang had always been so confident with her conquests, and now with this hume. Roaming paws, nipping and kissing, that scent charging her senses. Even if she couldn't remember everything, she was going to _enjoy_ this.

_ That's a girl, just let me have ya..._

With a healthy amount of force Fang turned her around, then hooked her fingers into the sturdy fabric of her fatigues, pulling upward. As strong as the wild L'Cie was, it was almost no effort to pull the hume off the floor, making her sit on the edge of the table. She caught the hume's gaze, cerulean shimmering, wide set and wary. Prey's eyes. She captured Light's lips without delay, hands gripping the waist of her pants to keep her close. Gods, the taste of her...

Finally Lightning could have that wolfish hair between her fingers, mussed silk, and she couldn't keep back the quiet groan at the feel of it. She was kissing back, reciprocating without thinking, and it felt so good. She'd been missing it these last few days, though not by choice. She just sensed that Fang wanted her space, which turned out to be true, and waited patiently. All the while reminiscing that night in the gym over and over, mostly those eyes set in pained frustration and the determined press of Fang's lips.

But it was different now, though only in nature, not intensity. These kisses were not curious demands, a savage grab at possible answers, but a consensual inquiry. They were both thinking the same thing; how good could it get? And there was only one way to find out.

Fang pushed against her, one denim clad thigh wedging between Light's legs at the same moment the kisses deepened. Another timid groan escaped Lightning, captured by Fang's mouth as the L'Cie's tongue curled against hers. Light could hear blood pounding in her ears, the heat once situated in her face having traveled across her body. Give you three guesses where it was settling now.

She nipped at the hume's bottom lip before pulling back. Everybody has to breathe...with the exception of a few L'Cie I know.

"Ya likin' that, sunshine?" Fang smirked, panting a little, one eyebrow raised.

No response, as thinking was so suddenly a struggle. Though her expression seemed to beg the question of why she would've stopped.

"Not so bad kissin' the freak, yeah?"

"You're not a freak." Light responded as firmly as she could, eyes severe.

"Don't lie t'me." a slight shake of her head. "I am what I am. Now show me you can handle it." and Fang captured her lips once again.

Author's Note: Late, yeah, but hopefully it was worth the wait. Got some yummy FLight teasers at the end. We'll see where it ends up in the next chapter, though count on it being late too. I'm getting ready to move again, and with that mixed in with work and school, I'll be hard pressed to get it done on time. So I apologize in advance. Love you guys, and thanks so much for your patience.


	16. Chapter 15

**XIII**

**Chapter Fifteen**

"_Show me you can handle it."_

Light could hear the words echoing between her ears as she felt the L'Cie's sly tongue slip into her mouth again. Her back arched sharply with a restrained grunt as she felt the edges of Fang's nails digging in, hooking into her thighs and pulling one of them to bend over her hip. Fang's leg pressed forward, the muscles twitching against her center, Light's body full of shivers. The hume's hands still fondled that thick and dusky mane, palms and digits conforming to the gentle curve of Fang's scalp.

"Like that, darlin'," Fang's voice rumbled in her chest, heavy breaths mingling. "Give us a little scratch, eh?"

It took a moment for the words to process, Light's thoughts scrambled and fleeting. She curled her fingers as requested, pulling downward towards the L'Cie's ears, scratching.

"_Ooh_," Fang groaned at the tingling sensation that raised gooseflesh all over, and then lurched forward with a snarl, latching onto Light's throat as she pushed her down onto the pool table.

Lightning felt trapped, no escape even if she were of the mind to. Fang's weight was solid over her, strength absolute, towering. One might think she should be terrified. Hardly. Her body was burning up in raw desire, untempered and rampant. Her hips moved of their own accord, churning, grinding against Fang's thigh.

_That's it, darlin', don't fight me._

But even if Light chose to, even a mote of honest resistance, she'd lose. Fang wasn't about to let her get away, not after getting this far. Her intent was made evident as she twisted out of the flannel shirt and tossed it to the floor.

Light found it in her to pull her hands from Fang's hair, easing her palms over her shoulders and arms. All the muscles were tense, raised and twitching to her touch. Solid, full of strength just like the rest of her, savagery set to a hair trigger. Though for the time being it was focused and controlled, the animal just stretching instead of lashing out with snapping jaws and shimmering claws. For the time being it nipped and nudged, deceptively tame. It wanted something, so naturally it was playing nice.

After tossing the shirt away, Fang didn't completely settle over her, like Light was expecting her to. She maintained her weight at her center, freeing one hand as the other kept her balanced. The other fisted in Lightning's shirt and jerked it upward, freeing it from being tucked into her fatigues and stopping just beneath the rise of her breasts. Slowly she licked her lips, smirking, a sense of luxurious hunger in her eyes. The smirk grew as her hand pushed higher, pale breasts revealed to the light. For a moment she looked upward, meeting Lightning's eyes, those wide eyes. The hume panted, vulnerable on her back, unresisting as her hands curled around Fang's sturdy forearms.

_Takin' candy from a baby..._

Fang chuckled to herself, hooking her bottom lip with a canine once again before bending down. Her mouth was watering for another taste, but not for lips. That wasn't enough. The animal needed more.

Then the door creaked.

"Hey guys, we've got a -_oh_..."

Fang straightened in an instant and twisted her upper half to see Snow in the doorway, slack jawed and wide eyed to her narrow and cutting gaze. Lightning scrambled to cover herself, fumbling to tuck her shirt back in and right her bra.

"Do ya _mind_?!" Fang snapped, teeth bared and shoulders hunched, territorial.

For a split second all he could do was stare, his mind unable to wrap around what he was seeing. But he was quick to react all the same, averting his eyes, turning away completely. "W-we've got an all-hands-on-deck to the observatory. T-try not to keep Emo waiting. Yeah." and only then, after delivering his message, did he make himself scarce. In any case, the damage was done. Fang could smell the change in Lightning's mood, sensed her embarrassment, and grew angry. As did the animal. It was not pleased.

"Oh god," Light breathed as she put her feet on the floor, almost jumping from the table. Her face was so red now. "Oh god."

Fang looked to the mercenary, eyes still narrow, brow low. "What's wrong? Did I do somethin'?"

"No," Light shook her head quickly. "He wasn't supposed to find out...not like this."

"What, about us?"

"That I'm gay." she corrected.

"Oh, I see." Fang nodded with arms crossed, still looking agitated, rubbed the wrong way. With a huff she pushed herself to move and retrieve her flannel shirt from the floor near the bar. She slipped it back on her shoulders which still showed signs of stiff tension. She was _so_ not happy. "Does your sister know?"

"Yeah. She _was_ the only one." she rubbed her upper arms with her hands, suddenly so uncomfortable in her own skin. "What if he tells the others?"

Another huff, "We'll worry about it when it comes, sunshine. Not like it's any of their business anyway. Until then...sounds like we've got a job t'do."

A job indeed.

The two would be the last NORA members to arrive at the observatory. They zeroed in on their teammates all standing in a pod and surrounding another. It was Alyssa, and she seemed to be beside herself, rambling in an attempt to explain what on Pulse was wrong. Just as they came within earshot, it didn't go unnoticed how Hope suddenly looked towards them, expression set curiously.

Oh Etro, could he feel...

"Take a breath, hon, and try again," Lebreau was doing her best. She wasn't a working empath after all. "Now who's in trouble?"

"My step-sister, Ada." Alyssa was shaking, teary eyed, bordering on hysterical. "She texted me not five minutes ago saying 'in Juno, need help'," she clutched her smart-phone in her hand, knuckles white, "and when I tried to call her she didn't answer. She _always_ answers! What if something's happened to her, what am I going to do, how-,"

"It's okay," Hope intervened, putting a hand on her to try and curb the fear wracking her from head to toe. His eyes rolled slightly, the intensity of the emotion enough to twist his gut. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise. We'll find her. Where in Juno would she be?"

"I've almost got a location," Yuj said, leaning over his console. "The text's signal bounced off of a tower in the lower west side, industrial district."

"Your sister a L'Cie?" Fang asked.

"I...I don't know. Oh my god, what if she is? What if PSICOM's after her -they'll kill her!"

"Got it, the text originated on the west end of the Eleventh Street block." Yuj turned away from the screen, nodding.

"We've got satellites near there, I'll see if I can get a visual." Serah chimed in, fingers flying across a keyboard.

"All right everybody, whoever is going, get what you need and be back here in five." Hope stood up, beginning in hurried strides for the door, meaning for the armory. Those who needed to do the same followed, Lightning and Vanille, and they were back in seven minutes instead of five. Fucking elevators. Yuj, Maqui, and Serah would stay behind, while the others each put a tight grip on Alyssa.

_SSSSSNAP_

And they were gone.

Fang didn't like traveling like this, that is teleporting. No thank you. Next time she'd just walk.

The lot of them blinked back into existence in the same area Freak had mentioned, the Eleventh Street on the lower west side. It was later in the afternoon, but the sky was dark from the smoke given off by several factories, the humming of their machinations heavy in the air. Fang took a sniff, mentally sifting through all the different scents wafting about.

"Razor, you and Ragdoll stay with Alyssa, she's our way out. Stay in this area and notify me if you have to move." Emoticon gave the orders is his typical tone, all work and no play.

"It's PSICOM all right." Fang almost shrugged. "Caius is around here somewhere."

"You're sure?"

"Nose don't lie, necktie. And it was recently."

Emo's brows knitted in the middle, touching one finger to his ear where a small radio was resting. "You get that Angel? Keep a look out for Caius and alert my as soon as you have confirmation."

_"Loud and clear. Download's getting into the power grid now to try and look through any security cameras in the area. Once we see either of them I'll let you know."_

"Flashback, get a feel of the place, maybe you can see if Ada's been by here or not."

The redhead nodded, slipping the glove off her hand and bending down, pressing her palm to the pavement they stood on. That distant look came over her, eyes searching through what was past, what only she could see. Perhaps a minute went by. "Caius _is_ here. At least he's been here. Looked to be in a hurry too...chasing someone..."

"Where?"

"There," and she pointed. Across the street and a few dozen yards was a storied parking garage. And now that they had a heading, they moved out, hoping they weren't too late. Though that hope would dwindle as they drew close. There was a crimson smear on the pavement just at the entrance to the parking structure. It wasn't very old, as Fang touched it to lift some of the redness with her fingertips.

"It ain't Caius," she said first of all, "but it's a L'Cie." having picked up that odd twang with a secondary sniff.

Flashback touched the pavement again, shivering at the image of a young woman, the flesh of her upper arm raked by a massive paw full of talons. Which wasn't as useful a nugget of information as you would think considering there was a blood trail for them to follow. It took them to the far end of the deck where the stairwell landed at the ground floor. It went up, so they went up.

The structure was roughly ten stories high, and the team would only make it to the fifth before the trail stopped. They spread out across the deck to look for more clues, checking under and around the few dozen cars parked on this level. All they found was a huge indentation in the hood of a blue sedan that was distinctly shaped like a certain someone's huge hand.

"She didn't jump, did she?" Flashback looked a little concerned as she looked at the dent, debating whether or not to touch it. She was leaning towards no.

"We would've heard a scream...something." Phantom straightened from checking beneath the vehicle.

"This don't feel right t'me." Fang was still sniffing about. Caius' distinct odor had thinned, almost disappeared, as did that of the other L'Cie. And what remained of their scents was being overwhelmed with that of motor oil and the pollution in the air.

"I'm with Fang," Tank surmised aloud, his argent arms crossed over his chest. "Why would they send that big guy out here for just one girl?"

It didn't make sense, and everyone was starting to think it. Phantom felt the small hairs on her neck bristling, instincts souring, and she pulled the gunblade from its holster. Emoticon touched the device in his ear again.

"Found anything yet, Angel?"

_"Nothing. Download's drawing a blank too, and he's looking directly at you guys. There's no __sign of either one of them. Wait a minute...I got movement at the fire exit stairwell."_

The door of the fire exit was hidden by a wall of concrete, so all the others could do was listen at the creaking of hinges and systematic _thop-thop_ of foot steps as they rounded the wall. It was a young woman in her twenties, a bloodied gash on one arm, though she didn't appear to be in any distress. In fact she was smirking. It was Ada all right, Ada Hale was her full name, but it wasn't her only name. Her bosses called her Six, and her victims called her Reflux.

"'Sup, assholes? Thanks for stoppin' by." a smile split across her mouth, all teeth and mischief. Her deep brown eyes slid in the lids, taking each of them in a little at a time before settling. "So this is Thirteen? Huh, I expected you to be a little taller...and less butch."

"Whatcha want, kid?" Fang tipped her chin, hip cocked.

"Well, my bosses want your bones, so there's that." Reflux replied so comfortably. "But I thought I'd earn myself a long vacation and get rid of the rest of you cunts while I'm here."

"So that's what happened to you," Emoticon said firmly, his jaw tight like his features, his brow low over his eyes. "You took up with PSICOM?"

"Aw, you remember." she feigned endearment. "But yeah, once I got done slappin' you around I looked for someone willing to pay me for how awesome I am. PSICOM had the money, that and they let me do whatever the hell I want."

"You really think you can take on all of us?" Tank interjected. "Even _with_ Caius on your side, we still outnumber you."

She laughed, the sound rather unsettling as it bounced off of concrete. "Believe me, Caius is the _last_ person you need to worry about right now." and her eyes slid again, settling away from Tank. "He's not going to kill you, and neither am I for that matter. I don't have to."

Emoticon was the first to realize what was happening, what Reflux was doing, but even then it was too late. It all happened in the course of a few seconds, but he still wasn't fast enough, even as he reached for his nine millimeter. He never pulled it from the holster before he hit the pavement. Raw emotion washed over him in a blink, with such intensity it manifested as a heavy and horrendous pain in his chest.

Reflux was a projecting empath, the only one Emoticon had ever known and, coincidentally, the only L'Cie he had ever been afraid of. It was what she was willing to do with her abilities. Through line of sight or touch, a projecting empath could force someone to feel whatever emotion they wanted, manipulating their victim on a physiological level to produce the symptoms of fear, sadness...or even rage. And it only took a few seconds. And in that time she had Thirteen wound up so tight, adrenaline at such a frightening high that the emotional response crashed into Emoticon. Now he lay on the concrete, writhing, in the throws of a massive heart attack. Flashback bent over him.

"She's going to do it for me."

The last thing Fang would remember was her skin going hot and the sudden need to breathe faster. Then it would go fuzzy, red. Adrenaline shot through her tensing her from head to toe, claws popping out of hiding as fists clenched white-knuckle tight. Nostrils flared, lips pealed back in a snarl, and eyes focused sharp.

"That's a girl." Reflux grinned, arms crossed. "Now don't just stand there, I got shit to do."

But there was something Reflux hadn't counted on; her bait working against her. With the animal now let loose, all of Fang's senses were at their peak, her sense of smell in particular. And the only scents she could decipher were that of Caius, and of Reflux who had the stink of him on her. The reaction was natural; take out the threat, get the other predator before they get you.

_ Kill. Kill at all costs_.

_Remove the threat._

"What the hell are you gawking at?" Reflux snapped, not liking that look Thirteen was giving her. "Cut 'em up!"

Thirteen wasn't budging, in fact Reflux's demands only seemed to make things worse. Maybe it was only then that it hit her. Thirteen didn't take orders. At that, all she could think to do was run, but that was easily the second dumbest idea she had all day. The first was thinking this plan of hers -to throw the wild L'Cie into a frenzy in hopes of saving herself some trouble- would actually work. But she ran all the same, back into the fire escape stairwell thinking it would buy her some time.

Bitch please. Wolves are chase predators.

Tank also showed a fine stroke of genius -emphasis on the stroke- in an attempt to stop Fang. And while she didn't try to hurt him, she sure as hell didn't let him catch her. She shoved him face first into the concrete as he dove to take her legs out from under her. It didn't work. His steel skin sent sparks across the concrete.

The animal wouldn't wait to take the stairs, it was above that. It would jump the barrier, the concrete wall that kept vehicles from driving over the edge and taking the fifty-some foot drop to the lot below. It jumped, took hold with the claws, and began a steady ascent via one of the great support pillars that ran the height of the structure. Its prey was headed for the high ground. All prey does.

_Shit_ was the word coursing through Phantom's mind over and over, had been since Emoticon went down. Those few seconds had felt like the longest hour of her life, and that whole time she had simply stood there and watched. Maybe it just happened too fast...

"He's stopped breathing!" Flashback screamed, a sound shrill enough to bring Phantom back to the now. She rolled Emo onto his back and started CPR.

Phantom knelt down, taking the small radio from his ear and putting it in her own. "Razor?"

_"That you, Phantom?"_

"Yeah. Shit's hit the fan, we need Alyssa up on the fifth level of the parking deck _now_."

_"We're on our way."_

"Angel?"

_ "You bellowed?"_

"Do you have a visual on Fang?"

_ "Sure do, headed for the top of the structure. And I would suggest you get your ass in gear, I think I hear helicopters, in-bound from the east."_

_Gods damn it all_. "I'll do my best. And we're sending Emoticon back, tell Moira to get ready."

_"What's wrong?"_

"Heart failure."

_"Etro's grace...you got it. Be careful."_

Then Phantom double checked her gear, made sure the gunblade was loaded before starting in even and quick strides for the fire escape stairwell.

"Where the hell are you going?" Tank shouted.

"I'm going after her." _Got to stop her before she does something she'll regret. Or worse._

"Alone?"

"Once Emo is safe, you can come too. If you can catch up." and then she sprang into a healthy sprint, disappearing into the stairwell.

"Damn it all," Tank hissed. "Now I know where Serah gets it from."

_"I heard that." _chimed the radio in his ear.

The animal reached the top, heart thrumming hard and knuckles scraped red with the concrete. Once on its feet again it bolted for the door, more than able to hear the growing intensity of the echoing steps from behind it. It would lunge, claws first, just as it swung open. Reflux had ducked at the last second, expecting Thirteen to come at her fast. With a push of her feet she rolled out of the stairwell and onto the deck, breaking into a run as soon as she was upright. With a frustrated snarl Thirteen pulled her claws free of the wall and resumed the pursuit, quickly gaining on the other L'Cie.

Reflux was a free-runner, had been since before she graduated high-school, and it was showing. She had strength and agility that was nearly the peak of what was humanly possible, and that coupled with almost no fear made for no surprise when she jumped from the structure without hesitation. She fell perhaps twelve feet, her momentum carrying her forward enough that she could roll into a safe landing on the rooftop of a nearby storage building. But that wouldn't stop Thirteen.

Nothing would.

The animal jumped, came to a less than graceful landing, and continued still. Barreling forward without a thought of its own other than _chase_. _Hunt_. _Kill._

Reflux would hop to several other roofs in a similar fashion, taking some big risks in an attempt to put distance between her and the wild L'Cie. To her frustration she could only keep some ten feet ahead of her, but she wasn't worried. She only had a little bit further to go, and she could already hear the choppers.

Phantom was just able to keep pace, sweat rolling down her face as she worked her way across the rooftops. If it weren't for the spiffy metal in the soles of her boots she might not have made that last landing without eating shingles. Her mind was racing behind the tight focus she needed to keep track of the moving figures some hundred yards or more off, thoughts of worse case scenarios playing in brilliant relief. This went south so fast, good gods how did it happen? Another set up, and they stood to lose a lot this time. And Fang...Etro's Grace, what was going to happen to her? Would she come back from this? Would PSICOM finally get her back? How many would she kill before the end of all this mess? Phantom didn't want to relive that last night near Aggra. Not a second time.

She checked the compression pistol at her thigh as she ran, certain it was loaded, certain the safety was off.

It came to a stop at the latest rooftop, having lost sight but not scent of its prey. There was a laugh, a chuckle coming up from the space between the buildings, audible to its enhanced hearing over the bustle of traffic. It would find Reflux sliding down the drain pipe, showing the animal the finger as she reached the ground and took off running again, into oncoming cars.

A snarl full of fury was the preamble to the jump, straight down some forty feet or so onto the trunk of a car. It caved under the L'Cie's solid weight as it landed on its feet. It jumped onto the street, taking the same path as its prey, just barely dodging a fully loaded semi that was barreling down the thoroughfare.

"Angel, I lost visual!"

_"I've got it...one sec...you need to get back down to street level, I'll walk you there."_

There was a service ladder on the far end of the roof, Phantom holding on tight as she slid down the length of. She didn't have time to take it step by step.

_"Take a left, and be careful, you'll be going into traffic. And pick it up, those choppers are closing in."_

"How much further?"

_"Two hundred yards."_

Phantom was certain she had all the luck in the world when she emerged from the darkened passage between buildings to a traffic jam. Looked like road work. Thank the gods for small favors. She quickly wove her way between the cars and to the other side.

_"Now you're going to take three more lefts and then a right. Looks like they've stopped on a stripped foundation on Crevice Avenue."_

"Got it."

_"Tank and Razor are on their way now, so you should have backup soon. Can you hold out until then?"_

"I don't think I'm the one you should be worried about. What about Emo?"

_"Moira's got him. I'll keep you updated. Now get moving!"_

Phantom would run with all she had, finger on the trigger of the gunblade as she went, itching. She would look up from time to time, and spotted one of the choppers. She swallowed hard. This was going to be close.

Everything is red, heart pounding so hard it hurts. Body's tight, legs pumping for all they're worth. Can't stop, gotta follow that smell, gotta _snuff it OUT_.

Follow. Follow. Follow.

_Chase._

_ Hunt._

_ KILL!_

Out of the alleys, away from the cars and screaming horns, but there's still rumbling. A thunder overhead that comes and goes. Big black shapes flying by.

They're coming for you.

They'll put you back to sleep.

Get inside you again. Cut you.

_No. Not again. NEVER!_

Reflux stopped near the middle of the stripped foundation, a sheet of bare concrete that had once been the cradle of a building. There she turned on Thirteen, posing some resistance in the last seconds before the cavalry arrived. The choppers were moving in, and PSICOM agents were already on the ground.

Even after all that running the L'Cie was very nimble, able to keep a step ahead of Thirteen's menacing attacks. The animal wasn't showing any signs of slowing down, but as riled up as it was, it was easy to anticipate its moves. That was the plan, if it couldn't think straight, it was just a matter of time before it made a mistake. But Reflux was concerned; now that she had Thirteen under her gaze, she had been trying to bring her down again, tucker her out from the inside. It wasn't working. It _always_ worked! Thirteen wasn't so fucking special that it was _immune_ to her!

Reflux had the wild L'Cie by the wrists, adamantium tips mere inches from her face. The force behind Thirteen was enough to push her back in spite of having her feet planted and her base steady.

"If you won't cool your tits," she huffed, "I'll just have to wind you up until your heart explodes!"

That was stupid idea number three. Reflux was just digging herself into a deeper grave. She could barely start amassing the concentration she needed before Thirteen had her on her back, claws coming down. Her screams echoed through the streets.

"Caius! Caius, where the fuck are you?! _HELP ME_!"

And Thirteen just kept cutting into her, and wouldn't -_couldn't_- stop.

Then back up appeared, some two dozen PSICOM agents armed to the teeth with fully automatic weapons. Safe to assume that the higher ups had grown tired of all the care they had been taking with their runaway. Time to take the dead or alive approach in earnest. They formed a line between the L'Cie and Crevice Avenue, raised their weapons, and opened fire.

At first Thirteen took it, body jerking with ballistic collisions, some ricocheting off the bones, then it covered up, arms crossed as it took a single step back. Then it reacted and went after them, streaked in blood and full of holes. Charging madly like it just didn't hurt anymore. After the first dozen rounds or so, the pain just stopped, and was replaced with sheer rage.

Phantom would arrive at just the right moment to witness this teeming mass of humanity. Watch it get ripped to shreds and to hear the choking cries of those caught in its throws. And that animal was at the heart of it all, delving out swift justice for that capital offense of causing it pain. She could only watch in awe and horror, for interfering now would only do harm. There was no alternative but to wait.

When it did end, everything was still and quiet. It seemed like the choppers had gone, perhaps landed somewhere out of sight to wait for word of success from their agents. But it was quiet in any case. Bodies were everywhere, in pieces, severed limbs twitching, rippling the puddles of blood that had settled on the concrete.

The animal was still as well, hunched over a pile of corpses it had accumulated, seemingly spent. But then it moved, chest expanding with breath in rapid, manic succession, then it choked on its own blood. The animal stood, began to walk, claws still extended, panting, still not finished. There was still one more.

Reflux had been trying to crawl out of sight, dragging her belly and tearing open her fingertips and elbows on the pavement. Tears were rolling down her face, mingling with blood, and she sobbed with near hysteria. Where was Caius? Why didn't he come? That was the plan! It was the motherfucking _plan_!

She would feel the shadow settle over her, screamed when Thirteen grabbed her and flipped her over, still screaming when the weapon had her by the collar. That face, those eyes so full of fury, and that snarl of nothing but teeth, it would be the last thing Reflux would ever see.

It was only now that Phantom found it in her to move, but she moved quickly, at the behest of Reflux's screaming. She came out running, boots splashing through the crimson deluge, reaching for the compression pistol just as she put the gunblade in its holster. She raised it, lined it up, but she couldn't make herself pull the trigger. In fact she stopped entirely, and took a deep breath.

"Fang, _stop_!" she cried. "_STOP!"_

The wild L'Cie's head jerked around, expression set savage, the green eyes intense as they zeroed in on the hume.

Memories began sparking.

That voice...the animal knew that voice. Found it...soothing. Comforting. Allowed it to let go. The redness ebbing out of it.

Fang blinked, the sting of blood in her eyes, putting her hands to her face she felt the stick of it on her skin. She could smell and taste it, a mingling of her own and that of others, total strangers. She was panting so hard now, heart pounding, weakness and shakes sinking into her muscles. Oh gods...this had happened before, and now she remembered. She straightened, looked down at the young woman at her feet who somehow still lived, and was horrified. She staggered back, stumbling, hitting her knees hard on pavement. Her hands came to rest atop her thighs, atop the tattered denim, and she dwelled on them. Unable to retract the claws.

Oh gods...

"Fang,"

She didn't answer directly, was having trouble remembering what words were.

Phantom heard footsteps behind her, twisting. It was Razorback and Tank, and they stopped short, floored by the scene they had arrived to. She simply gestured for them to stay back, praying they would listen. Then she knelt down, carefully, quietly, pistol still in hand. For safety's sake.

"Fang...say something, please."

"I...I'm hurtin', darling. Hurtin' bad." the statement staggered out of her, supporting it.

Phantom looked her over, bullet wounds still trying to heal, her clothes so torn they were nearly falling off. To think such a powerful being could look so pitiful.

"What happened t'me?" Fang managed to look at her, green eyes full of misery.

"I'm not sure," it was an honest response. "But you're...I think you're over it now." She wasn't about to tell her she was okay, because that was clearly not true. "Come on, we need to get you out of here." Phantom slipped the pistol into its holster, though left the safety off at the behest of some quiet paranoia, before pulling Fang's arm across the back of her neck to help her stand.

"What about her? We can't just leave her here."

Phantom looked down at what was left of Reflux, the once ten-foot tall and bullet proof L'Cie now left to cowering, blood smeared all over her. In the end it was decided to take her back to Muir. The finer details as to what drove them to it would have to be thought through later. Within the next ten minutes NORA's presence in Juno was nonexistent.

Caius had been watching, just as he had intended to from the start, perched nearby on a chapel steeple, next to a gargoyle that struck a staggering resemblance in the way it brooded. Sure, he lent his hand to set up Six, just as she had asked, but she never bothered to ask him to act as backup. Stupid girl only assumed he would, seeing she was in charge and he was not. Perhaps, there was no telling how she reasoned it. Still, the only reason he bothered to come is so he could see, get a better understanding of his real target. And now that Six was no longer a burden, he would have what he wanted. All he needed was the right plan, the right opportunity, but most of all the time to bring it all together.

Something he had more than enough of.

Author's Note: Had a rough week but managed to pump this out. Hope it's not too crap. I really wanted an opportunity for Fang to revisit that "berserk fury" now that she could actually remember it, so yeah, that's what birthed most of this chapter. And sorry for all the teasing, it'll be worth it, though, I promise. Soon all of your patience will be rewarded. Thanks for reading, and as always, love you guys!


	17. Chapter 16

**XIII**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Hope's condition was stable, though Moira considered the term loosely. Problematically so. He was stable, but fragile. A sneeze in the wrong direction could have him arresting again. True, he was young yet, and reasonably healthy, but that heart attack should have killed him. A minute more and it would've. The geneticist and her staff had done the best they could, everything they could think of, and it would have to do until the specialist arrived. Moira knew enough people that owed her favors to make the arrangements with surprisingly little trouble. With any luck the poor lad would make it until then, as it would be a day or so.

Ada's condition wasn't nearly as problematic, in fact it was already showing signs of improvement. Although the problem came in Moira's trying to decide if that was as fortunate as she was attempting to make herself believe. Having the Weapon here felt like having a fox in the hen house. Nothing but trouble. Still...she was bleeding out, how could she ignore that with a clear conscience? And Alyssa crying like she had over her step-sister tugged at her heartstrings like you wouldn't believe. A countless number of stitches kept her blood on the inside where it belonged, and an IV worked to replace what she lost. Though there wasn't anything of yet to do about her eyes. She was permanently blind, the organs sliced right out.

Which led up to Moira's biggest concern thus far: Fang.

She didn't know what to do, so she called the only person she could think of who might.

_"By the sounds of it, as serious as it is you're handling things rather well, Moira. I don't see why you called me, though I appreciate the update."_

"Aye," She nodded. "But it's about Miss Fang, sir. What should I do?"

_"Why should there be anything for you to do? Is she still exhibiting the violent behavior you described?"_

"Nae, she's not," she massaged her forehead, leaning over her desk. "But she's still visibly agitated." she spied through her office window, into her lab. Fang was sitting on the examination table, hunched forward, shoulders tight as the muscles in her back visibly twitched and twitched hard. "I 'aven't done any blood work yet, but I'd be willin' ta guess her adrenaline is still high."

_"Well, what do _you_ think should be done?"_

"Iffin' I could 'ave my way I'd 'ave her sedated an' isolated."

_"I would agree with you if I thought you were able to pull that off, but since I don't, I'm going to advise against it."_ and there was a quiet laugh at the end of his rebuttal. _"I think the most you would get away with is a suggestion of the sedative. Anything else and she's liable to get angry...and I wouldn't blame her."_

"Ya bastard."

_"So I've heard. The best advice I can give you, Moira, is to do what you feel is best. Just don't blame me for what happens."_

"Why do I even bother with ya, ya _fookin' yank_?!" and she slammed the phone back into the cradle, crossing her arms with a huff. For a moment she simply sat like that, but then she adjusted her glasses and appeared to return to normal. She found herself staring out the office window again, eyes thin, contemplative. Decisions, decisions.

"It wasn't your fault." it was the best she could come up with. Her thoughts were still racing a little.

Fang was shaking, Light could see it, little tremors here and there but seeming to focus in the hands. The claws were still out, droplets of blood trickling from the ends. Her eyes drifted away, noting the bloodied bootprints across the laboratory floor. Most of it was Fang's , many of the bullet holes in her still struggling to seal. At first she thought maybe that was what was causing the shakes, but thought again. If it was blood loss, she wouldn't still be sitting up, if it was blood loss, that look in those shimmering green eyes would be dimmer, not so frighteningly aware.

Lightning stood in front of the frazzled L'Cie, trying to clean her up as best she could with a damp cloth. She had to do something, she couldn't just stand there feeling helpless. So it was either this or go pace somewhere and stew like everyone else. She'd chew her fingertips off.

This was, by far, the better option. That, and she just...couldn't bring herself to leave Fang. She was in a bad place right now.

"I ain't worried about that, sunshine." Fang shook her head, a short jerk of motion. Though, she couldn't help but feel like there was something she could have done, some way she could have fought against that...fury. "Just can't calm down...still wound up." Tight like a drum.

"Give it a little more time." it had maybe been a half hour since they'd returned to Muir. It was too early.

"Yeah, maybe." Fang took a deep breath. "Though I think this is helpin'." she liked the feel of the cloth against her skin, the cool moisture banking the heat still teeming through her. Lightning's gentle touch wasn't hurting things either. But as much as she seemed to like it, it wasn't getting her heart rate down, wasn't stopping that racing sensation of near panic. Like she was just one false move away from losing it all over again.

"I don't know why I'm doing this," Lightning said suddenly, her brow quirking. "You could just get a shower. You need a change of clothes anyway." which was more than true.

"I could...but I think I like this better."

A slight blush crossed her pale cheeks, and her expression shifted again to show surprise as Fang dipped her head and leaned forward, sinking into Lightning, her forehead to the bend where her shoulder and neck met.

Fang took in her scent, shivering. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff.

Maybe it was their joint distraction that kept them from noticing Moira's office door swing open, noticing as the geneticist strode out with even steps and made her way towards the examination table. Her presence didn't even register until Fang winced with a hiss, straightening suddenly at the sharp pinch in her shoulder. All in the matter of a second.

"Oi!" Fang twisted around, grimacing at the lingering burn. She spotted Moira just behind her, an empty syringe in one hand. She met Moira's gaze. "What'd ya stick me with?"

Moira took a step back. She didn't answer and looked away as she adjusted her glasses with the other hand.

"Ya hear me?" Fang slipped off the table, brow still knitted as she stepped around it. "What was that?"

"I ken ya be in need of some rest, Miss Fang." she finally explained after clearing her throat, taking another step back. "For everyone's safety."

Her hands curled into fists, claws shimmering in the light. Her face twisted into a snarl, fresh adrenaline starting to shoot through her. "_What was it_?!"

"Just give it another moment, and you'll be sleepin' like a baby,"

Those angry eyes widened.

She's putting you to sleep.

Don't let her. Stop her.

Even as the sedative was taking effect, there was enough power left in Fang to cross the room in two long strides, enough inertia to put all six claws in the wall where Moira had backed up to but ducked away from at the last second. The last of that strength was put in pulling the claws down the wall, forging six long gashes before she fell back. Her limbs were starting to get heavy, the adrenaline pushing the chemicals threw her quickly. She was about to hit the floor.

Lightning was there to catch her, though the weight almost took her to the floor as well. She held fast, watching in hidden disgust as the L'Cie fought it to the last, her boots squeaking on the tiles as her legs moved without purpose in those last seconds of awareness. Then she was still, limp, the claws sliding out of sight at last.

Light looked up at Moira, almost pleased to see the usually stone-faced woman looking a bit frightened.

"I only did what ya should o' done." she defended.

"It was wrong, and you know it." Lightning scowled.

"Did ya nae see what jus' 'appened? She nearly gutted me!"

"Only because you provoked her. She would've come down from it if you gave her a chance."

"I wasn't takin' that risk."

Light's grimace darkened, and for a brief moment she said nothing. Then "You're really no better than them, are you?"

"Beg ya pardon?" her arms crossed.

"You heard me. She's just an animal to you. Use it until you're done...get scared when you can't control it."

"How _dare_ you! I did it for-,"

"You did it because you were afraid." Lightning's voice stayed calm, level, even as Moira's intensified and hardened. "It wasn't for _our_ safety. It was for _yours_."

Moira had no response, her hands turning to fists at her sides and her face turning red as her body started to shake.

"But your reasons don't matter, not to me. Because none of them would've made you right." She looked away, pushing earnestly with her legs to stand. While Moira watched, still speechless, Lightning would manage Fang back onto the exam table, laying her on her side. She then started for the door, meaning to leave, though the look on her face made it seem like the last thing she wanted to do.

"You're _not_ leavin' her here!" Moira protested.

"Yes I am. And when she comes to, you're going to have to give her your excuses just like you gave them to me. For your sake I hope she's in a forgiving mood." and she stepped out, coming to the decision as she came into the corridor that she needed some coffee.

"Get back here! D'ya hear me!?" Moira shouted but to no avail.

For several minutes she simply stood there, frustration rattling her body, her eyes shifting in cycles between the door, the examination table, and the gashes in the wall. When she couldn't take it anymore she stomped back into her office, slamming the door. Again she stood stock still, just inside the door, eyes shifting in cycles, until she finally lost it and hurled the phone on her desk across the room with a shriek of her own brand of fury.

_(II)_

Back at the outpost, Caius sat patiently through Nabaat's displeased rhetoric over the obvious failure of Six's plan via speakerphone. It was mostly in one pricked ear and out the other as he had heard such a lecture before, also his thoughts were elsewhere and dwelling on more important things. Throwing Reflux to the wolves -so to speak- had garnered him a great deal.

Her plan hadn't been entirely asinine, he would admit to himself, she had been onto something to be sure. But she had gone about it all wrong, which he had made an honest attempt to explain to her in the beginning. She just wouldn't hear it, she was convinced she had it all figured out. It only served to get her killed.

Never lay a trap with the scent of a predator. Something Thirteen had surely identified him as by now. Then again, Reflux wasn't a hunter, she was a cocky punk who just didn't get it, didn't understand how animals worked. But her attempts had revealed so much, things Caius had only guessed at before in regards to the L'Cie at large.

He found that there were two sides to Thirteen, two where there should only be one. Two sides constantly vying for dominance, enthralled in confusion of which was right, which was _true_. Thirteen seemed to think she had _tamed_ herself, but that was clearly untrue. She was ignoring it, thinking it would go away just because she now wore human clothes and spoke human words. Being only half of what she really was. She must have thought she left that beast back in Aggra. And by the look and smell of terror from her allies, so had they.

The animal was nearby, rest assured, and it was as savage as ever. Reflux had flushed it out, made it bare its teeth, furious and blind. That was perhaps Thirteen's greatest fault; the complete abandon that took over. _His_ greatest advantage, but not the only one. Watching the scene unfold had revealed a great deal, but analyzing its conclusion was even more educational.

There was no control, not even the slightest trace. Thirteen's movements were purely instinctual, driven by a raw, scraping desire to remove potential danger. Now, while that was natural for any animal, Thirteen displayed this in such a sloppy manner it was almost comical. She was just lashing out, without a single thought, just like at the compound. It was simply a reaction, a tantrum he could predict, dismantle, and then neutralize.

And if all that wasn't part of the equation, he still had a sizable advantage. Caius was a seasoned hunter and knew how to set his traps. The bait would have to be something your target treasured, something they were willing to kill over. And the trap would have to be laid in such a fashion that would not allow for an easy retreat. Both Caius could easily acquire given time and the right opportunity. Already his mind was working, thoughts churning through a myriad of possible scenarios, calculating.

"Is that clear?" Came Nabaat's voice rather firmly over the speakerphone. "Twelve? Are you even listening?"

"I hear you." he growled with an exhale. "I will complete the assignment. Just give me time."

"Not too long, I hope. The high brass are getting impatient. They're expressing interest in possibly cutting you and Nine loose if you can't come through."

Caius felt his body tense, his pricked ears pulling back slightly. "I _will_ complete the assignment." and he said it slower, with a snarl of emphasis in all the right places.

"See that you do." and then the connection closed, a dial tone buzzing through the speakers.

Caius pressed a button, shutting off the device, and then settled to let his elbows press into the tops of his thighs, his fingers lacing together and pressing against his mouth. His torso expanded and deflated with a deep breath.

"She sounded displeased."

"She was." his voice rumbled through him as he straightened slightly, his head turning towards Yeul.

"You're troubled." she stated, the setting of her eyes showing her concern.

"Perhaps." but only by the possibility of his not being paid. He could deal with everything else, but he _had_ to have his due.

"Do you have a plan?"

"I will. Soon." he put his massive paw to her hair, threading the tresses in his claws.

She nodded against his palm. "Would you read to me?"

"Of course." and he smiled, fangs hinting as he stood.

_(III)_

Broken dreams, shards, bits and pieces trying to fit together. Uneven ends scraping, distorting images, sounds distant and incomplete. Incomplete and yet...connected. Laced with dying sparks of anger, and a face.

Lightning.

Fang dreamed of the mercenary without meaning too, certainly not expecting to. Dreams that centered on her eyes and the natural hush of her voice, though other details passed through as well. Her dreaming mind would distinguish her clothing, sometimes places. Fatigues and suspenders, blue jeans and a blouse. The Laughing Wolf, against the wall of the gym on the rec floor, and what she could only guess was the compound she had broken out of. Stainless steel walls, white tile floors, sterile air.

Black fatigues, a face of regret looking down. There was pain with the memory, though distant. _"You've got to stop underestimating this thing..."_

I'm not a thing.

Then denim, the smell of cigar smoke. A Car Bomb. It was the Laughing Wolf. _"I won't be staying long. Just here on business."_

_ "Care to let that business be my business?"_ One of her best lines ever. _"What's your name, honey?"_

The dream would change again in that instant, Fang's mind registering Lightning's answer but not the sound of it. It was overwhelmed with what sounded like wind, and the rumble of a car engine. Windows rolled down, the smell of the air damp.

_"Thanks for the lift."_

_ "No problem."_ Still denim, a blouse now distinguished as being white.

_"So you're leavin' tomorrow?"_

_ "Maybe...hey,"_

_ "Yeah?"_

_ "You..._" she blushed. She was shy. _"Want to have dinner with me tomorrow night?"_

Fang remembered laughing a little, her usual sly chuckle. _"An' here I was gonna ask you. Love to, when?"_

_"Seven?"_

_ "I suppose I could find an openin' in my busy schedule to squeeze ya in."_ And the idea of squeezing had gone right to her head in all the wrong ways. _"Meet ya at the Laughin' Wolf?"_

_ "Sounds good."_ she had blushed harder, and Fang could see it in the darkness of night. Though she assumed Lightning didn't think she could. _"See you then. Goodnight."_

_ "Night, darlin'."_

And it changed again, though Lightning was nowhere to be found after that. It was still dark, she recognized the empty stretch of road she was walking, that expanse between her truck and Kalm. She'd walked it hundreds of times.

There was the rattle of tires on gravel behind her, her outline cast on the ground in the glow of high beams. Against her better instincts she had paused, remembered the regret of the action, and half turned. She shielded her eyes from the light, hearing doors open.

_ "Miss Fang?"_ Someone approached her from the vehicle. A van. She recalled thinking of at least a dozen horror flicks and pornos that started out just like this.

_"Who's askin'?"_

Then a pinch in her chest, something sticking in like a bee sting. There was a wave of dizziness and then her knees buckled, her back smacking pavement. Someone grabbed her by the arm, pulling. She socked them in the jaw and then rolled on top of them, giving the chump a heaping mouthful of her fist. Two more -she was pretty sure it was two, felt like two- came out of nowhere. One pulled her away from the other, and the third popped her with a few more tranq darts before putting a boot to her chin.

That's when Fang woke up, still on the examination table in Moira's lab, her body still feeling loaded like a bear trap. All wound up. And sill very pissed off.

Moira liked to drink, mostly when she wanted to stop thinking long enough to sleep. Otherwise she did it when she felt like a total twat and wanted to forget why. Although the latter didn't happen nearly as often as you would think. Moira was typically very confident in her decisions, just as she had been confident in her decision to sedate Fang.

_Do what you feel is best._

Moira sipped her bourbon from a beaker resembling a highball glass, remembering Cid's words with a quiet bitterness. That man knew _exactly_ what she would do. But, in his favor, also knew that it wouldn't matter what he said. She would've done it anyway. By the gods she hated him sometimes.

She had been trying to read the file she had opened up on her desktop for the last hour or so, that task becoming progressively more difficult the more she drank. At this point she couldn't rightly remember what is about in the first place. Time for another one. She carefully managed herself out of her chair, supporting herself on the edge of her desk momentarily. Moira kept the bottles in the file cabinet, right beside the medical records and the ammunition for her shot gun that she kept hidden under her bed.

She twisted the cap off, filled the highball beaker, turning away from the cabinet with both in hand to return to her desk. She kicked the cabinet closed with her foot, and took perhaps three somewhat steady strides before she stopped dead. She had to look up to meet the thin, harrowing gaze of the L'Cie now standing in front of her. Sweet gods, she didn't even hear anyone come in.

"Evenin', doc." a small growl worked its way out of her chest.

No response, no movement. Moira didn't even adjust her glasses which had slid down her nose.

"Got a spare minute? Looks like ya do." Fang's eyes inched to the side, spying the bourbon. It was rippling in the bottle slightly. "Care if I have a swig?"

Fang didn't wait for an answer and snatched it from her hand with a jerk. She took several mouthfuls in one go before placing it back in Moira's hand.

"Now, seein' as you're so busy, I'll make this quick." and her verdant gaze only seemed to sharpen. "I ain't expectin' you and me to get along, at this point you can _suck_ me for all I care," and though her tone was hushed, level, her heart was pounding against her ribs. "But I'll be _damned_ if I put up with any more of the _shit_ you pulled earlier."

Moira swallowed but was otherwise still. Even as Fang took a half step forward, leaning close enough for their noses to almost touch.

"You slip me a mickey like that again, I'm gonna rearrange your face, an' they won't find all the pieces to put ya back together. Ya got that?"

"I'm nae afraid of ya," Though we all know that's a bold faced lie.

"Then maybe I should give ya a reason." and Fang snarled just enough, her lips peeling back to reveal teeth. Then she jerked forward with a snap of her jaws, making Moira flinch. Then she smirked. "S'what I thought."

The L'Cie turned away, started for the door, and Moira managed to muster up a little more stubbornness. "Can ya not see you're a danger to everyone around ya?"

_Snikt_. The claws came out as Fang paused, tension showing in her shoulders. She didn't see the geneticist flinch again at the sound. Then she faced her again, retaking those same steps.

"Nah, doc. Just to people like you...people who get scared over what they don't understand. You humes...you're stupid when you're scared."

Just before she left for good, she sliced the highball beaker with a single swipe, bourbon and glass splashing across the floor and Moira's feet. For a long moment the good doctor simply stood there, looking down at the fresh mess. Eventually she just shook her head and drank straight from the bottle. Who needed a glass anyway?

Fang emerged into the corridor, tight shouldered and visibly agitated. Traces of adrenaline were still in her blood, making her anxious, and it was only getting steadily worse. She could only partially retract the claws, the ends of them stretched just passed her knuckles.

Moira had some fucking nerve...

_I just need some time to chill out...yeah, a cigar and a beer..._

But those would have to wait. Take a back seat to that...scent.

She paused mid-stride, picking it up suddenly. It was just her, no one else as she would've heard them, and the scent wasn't old. It wasn't settled into the air like the scents of those who had been living here longer than herself. Fang could pick those out, distinguish each of them without having to try. But this...

Fang sniffed almost manically, looking down one corridor and then the other, trying to find its trail. It was recent -not_ too_ recent- but it stood out, snatched her senses. Like a fish on a hook. And it was _effecting_ her. It was winding her up all over again, but in a different way than Reflux had. It was a steady burn, not a tearing inferno. That scent...she had to find where it was coming from. Fang skulked down the corridor at a healthy clip.

Lightning sat on the edge of her bed, face in her hands, fingers curling into her temples and rubbing in small circles. She'd been doing it off and on for the last couple of hours, otherwise pacing about her room after having taken a quick shower. She was just...strung out, her mind racing over a couple different but equally serious things. Well, perhaps not _equally_ serious.

What happened today was, by far, at the top of the oh-shit list. It was a lot to swallow, to process, even though by all rights Light had been exposed to it before. It never gets easier. Though it seemed worse this time around. It wasn't a force of nature trying to escape from man's prying hubris, it was a massacre. The flashes of this were going to be fresh for days. And Fang...what would this do to her?

Then that less than crucial thing settled back in, those notions she was trying not to give much credit to. Just a tiny voice entertaining a petty question.

What would mother think?

_Mom, meet my girlfriend...can I keep her?_

Sweet Etro's grace...she'd think Light had brought home a stray dog.

_Yeah, sorry about the furniture...and that thing she's doing to your leg, just let her finish...it means she likes you._

"Oh my gods," Light groaned at herself in restrained disgust. Why would she think that? Why?

_Yeah, I know, Fang ate the cat...no, mom, that's not a euphemism._

Light stood up, started pacing again, physically making an effort to stop those thoughts. They were unfair, ignorant. Fang deserved better. With arms crossed tight she shook her head. Then she stopped for a moment, her face quirking with somewhat asinine curiosity.

_She's not my girlfriend...though she kisses me like it. Well...by the way she talks...I'm not her first._

Not that she much cared, that wasn't her business. Still...how could she compete? It was a little intimidating. Lightning had never been with anyone, certainly not someone like Fang.

A shiver went up her back. She was picturing those few fleeting moments in the billiard room. Gods in heaven that was intense. She massaged her temples again, pressing her bottom lip between her teeth. Her core tightened at the memory, heating.

_This isn't the time for this..._

While that might have been true, we all know someone who would argue that. That certain someone stalking just down the corridor, having followed that alluring aroma all the way from Moira's lab to Light's dorm. Though Light wouldn't take notice of the shadow casting just beyond the small space at the bottom of the door. Perhaps missing that added to the overwhelming surprise of having her door kicked open. Not that she had locked it. The light from the corridor came right in, just as the L'Cie had, casting the hume in her oppressive shadow. And Light simply stood there, having gone stock still after a mild jump from the shock of it all, and was little more than a doe in the headlights.

Fang stepped inside, green eyes focused on what she discovered was the source of that smell. It was her, this hume. She approached, demanding in her even strides and snatched a handful of Light's shirt in her fist, the partially revealed claws cutting into it. Light only flinched as Fang established her tight grip, at the slight burning sensation in her skin, otherwise she met the L'Cie's gaze without fault in body or air. Even as Fang looked at her so severely, with a hunger, perhaps even some restrained blood lust.

"I been lookin' for you." Fang growled, eyes narrowing.

Light felt her brow knit gently in the middle, her expression now curious instead of awestruck. "No. You haven't. You didn't have to," she said quietly, with mild realization. _Looking is beneath you._ "You tracked me."

She knew it, they both did. Fang hadn't been looking. She had been _hunting._

Another growl, low and drawn out, a flash of teeth. A surge of tension and a rush of air, and then Lightning felt herself shoved against the wall. Fang had wedged herself tight to Light's form, dwarfing her, and Light felt her heated breath on her face. Fang nudged her cheek hard, pushed her head to one side, and latched onto Light's throat. The ensuing rumble in Fang's chest vibrated through her, and the pinch of sharp canines had her knees weak. She tried out of some untrained reflex to put her arms around her, but Fang resisted, taking both wrists in one hand and forcing them up over her head, pressed almost too tight to the wall. And when her thighs clenched at the sudden heated stab of sensation running through her, she found the firm outlines of Fang's leg.

Lightning squirmed, her hips jerking to the side only to be stopped by Fang's other hand snatching a death grip hold on the waist of her fatigues. "Fang," she breathed.

Teeth were replaced with a gentle tongue, laving the already reddening marks on her neck. "Don't fight me, darlin'," she snarled, the words almost intelligible, "I won't hurt ya if ya don't fight."

It had finally happened. That massive, ever building pile of anger, fear, and sexual tension couldn't be kept back anymore. Like a tidal wave it was going to come crashing down. If Lightning resisted, there was no telling what she would do to her. What the animal would do.

_I want it. Take it. Take _her_. Mine. Mine. _Mine_._

Though it didn't seem like the mercenary was going to offer any protest. Fang could sense Light's body giving in to it, smell the arousal, felt her skin heating. Fang was already there, ready, primed, steadily reaching this state as she followed that scent through the halls. Perhaps the animal translated that smell as some sort of signal.

Fang took her scent in again, finding a subtle mixture of her own combined with it. Heat surged through her. Oh gods, she had to have this, had to have her. Now.

That hand in Light's fatigues tightened, became a solid fist. Fang pointed the knuckles down, mindful not to cut her, and then tensed.

_SHRRRRIP_

Lightning groaned aloud as she felt the claws fully extend and tear into her clothes, ripping open the front of her pants, her knees giving way for a split second. At that same moment Fang put her teeth to her throat again, jaws squeezing as if meaning to hold her still. Restraining. Light rose against her, pushing as her back bowed forward. Fang pressed back, a denim-clad thigh rising between her legs. Just like in the billiard room, and just as then, her heart was pounding so hard, so fast.

"Kiss me," she panted. _Show me I'm not just a piece of meat._

Fang would capture her pleading lips just as she released the hume's hands, fisting them both into her shirt just before ripping it wide open. She thrust her needy tongue into her mouth, growling into it as one hand hooked into the plentiful flesh of Lightning's backside, and the other palmed a supple breast. An erect nipple settled between two of the L'Cie's fingertips, pinching as Lightning's nails hooked into Fang's scalp, that amazing mane of hair just too much for the hume to resist.

Fang could feel every last hair on her body bristle at the taste of her, an electric charge rattling her from head to toe. Gods damn it, so good. Couldn't get enough. She lifted Lightning against her, away from the wall with minor effort, pleased when she put her legs around her waist.

The room seemed to spin for a moment, movement having become disorienting. Then Lightning felt herself falling, her back smacking onto her bed. Fang pulled away from her with intention, straightening and giving Light the opportunity to watch as the she tore away her blood spattered and bullet butchered clothes. And even though Light had seen her naked before, several times, it was only now that it took her breath away. That solid strength, the twitching of muscles as she stretched over her like a predator...her core heated that much more, dampness gathering at the apex of her thighs now laid bare as her fatigues had been shredded.

With a snarl, a toothy grimace, Fang took hold of the remnants of Light's pants, jerking to the side and forcing her onto her stomach. Much to the hume's surprise, the said sensation grew as she felt Fang's body align and settle over hers. Heavy hips pressed into her buttocks, mimicking a mounting gesture, and she felt her form rattled by another growl. Then an arm snaked carefully around her waist, claws mindful, and it pulled upward, raising her hips. A palm was still pressing down on her shoulders, keeping her face in the mattress, the edges of her claws threatening to bite.

Fang looked down on her, regarding her briefly as the animal would.

_Kneel before the superior species._

She tore away the last of the hume's clothes, they were just a hindrance and would find their rightful place on the floor. Fang curled along her back, one hand in the blanket to keep her balance, the other fanned across Lightning's toned stomach.

The hume shivered as it only seemed to go lower and lower. Her entire body throbbed with a fever, and Fang's breath on the back of her neck was _not_ helping. Gods, who'd have thought she would be spending her afternoon with her ass perched in the air? Fang's fingers sank in between her legs, forcing her to shiver at that as well as the brush of cold adamantium on the insides of her thighs.

"_Gods_," she choked into the mattress, fingers hooking into the blanket, tearing out the hospital corners. Those fingers were working in languid circles over a particular bundle of nerves. "_F-Fang_,"

"Ya like that," the L'Cie's words were a heated whisper. "Not bad for beddin' a freak."

"You're not a-_hah_!" Light's eyes threatened to roll back. Those fingers...

"You were gonna shoot me...weren't ya?"

If she was able to focus enough, Light would've shown her abject shock at the question. Instead she pressed her forehead to the bed and released a staggering cry, her voice hitching in her throat as Fang's fingers delved deeper.

"Gonna put me down?"

You see, it hadn't just been Lightning. It wasn't just the sound of her voice, the sight of her that brought Fang out of that red haze. Banked the rage. The animal had felt fear. It saw the gun, its wielder, and it shrank away. It knew it somehow, remembered it from somewhere, and knew it meant something it didn't like. Sleep.

_Don't hurt me, I'll be good._

"I-_ah_..." still couldn't form the words, too distracted trying to breathe.

"Maybe you should do it now...liable to rough ya up if we keep at this." Fang kissed between her shoulder blades. "Lessin' that's what ya want. Ya want the freak to have her way?"

_Oh my gods, yes. Sweet Etro, do it._

Fang took her inability to answer as compliance, and forged ahead. Her fingers working faster, aggressive, until Lightning screamed into the mattress, body shaking and strength giving out. At that same moment, just as the pleasure peaked and Light gave in to it, Fang bit down on her shoulder. Just over the firm blade, she broke the skin and drew blood.

The hume's brain was on the fritz. She lay panting atop the bed, fingers and toes still curled tight. Beads of sweat rolled down her face, wild sensation crackled through her as her womb clenched. A firm hand snatched her shoulder and jerked back, twisting her onto her back once more. She blinked her swimming vision clear, looking up at the L'Cie still looming over her. Eyes widened at the sight of Fang licking her fingers, those shimmering emeralds bearing down with unwavering dominance.

With a determined grunt Fang wedged between Lightning's thighs, claws sinking into the mattress as she eased over her prey. Her sharp, lupine features were darkened as thick and dusky tresses fell around her face. And Light simply lay there, still and gasping, vulnerable to whatever savage mercies lay in store for her. She only turned away with a sharp hiss of breath, chest rising in a sudden snap of motion as Fang adjusted her stance again. One tense, toned leg eased over Lightning's hip, and the hume felt Fang's scalding heat against her own, forcing the extreme reaction. There was the distinct sound of cloth ripping, Fang snatching her jawline in her hand to make her look back, to meet her eyes.

"Ya scared of me?" she snarled quietly.

Unblinking, determined, though rattled to her core, she answered. "No."

"Too bad," Fang nipped at her bottom lip, "ya should be."

Author's Note: I can't help but feel like that last bit wasn't really worth the wait. Guess I'll have to give more of the same in the next chapter, which I had intention to anyway. But yeah, you waited two weeks for this, sorry if I disappoint. And I'm off to Ren Fair this weekend, so I'm posting early. Also, I'll go ahead and mention it now, I'm getting into "Twenty Questions" mode for my next vid, seeing as this fic is nearly done. Least it seems so to me. Caius wants his dues, and he's losing patience. So yeah, send in your questions -be it about my written works, art, or personal- via review or you can find my email on DA. I'll be sure to make notice of when the offer ends. Thanks for taking the ride with me everyone. And if anyone wants to draw some sexy inspiration from this chap...you know what to do.


	18. Chapter 17

**XIII**

**Chapter Seventeen**

It came back to her in lazy flashes as she steadily woke. Lashes fluttered over cerulean eyes as they blinked clear. Light felt a tightness in her chest, mild embarrassment as the memories came together. She lay on her side in bed, arms and legs tucked close to her chest, and she slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder. Fang was still there, behind her, sprawled across the majority of the mattress and fast asleep. Light didn't remember her moving away. Though she recalled drifting off to sleep with the L'Cie curled across her back, lapping gently at the bite wound in her shoulder as she kept one arm across the hume's form, a hand at her breast.

_My gods, it really did happen._ The realization came over her blushing features as she turned away, her head settling back onto the pillow. She felt her heart quicken, her body threatening to heat again as more memories coursed. The flash of adamantium, the gentle sting of its kiss between her breasts, on her back, her thighs. Fingers that hooked like claws into her flesh as she spied a wolfish mane between her legs...Etro's Grace...

Light slowly rolled over, settling on her other side. She looked the other woman over, eyes deliberate in their study. Even in sleep she could see the L'Cie's strength, muscles etched in superb relief just beneath the skin. Dusky tresses spilled across the pillow and curled around her face, countenance no longer firmed with snarling. Still she looked so wild, but so elegant in it now that she almost appeared tame.

That couldn't have been further from the truth. You can't tame nature, you pacify it and hope it doesn't swallow you whole.

Light chanced to touch her, her palm coming to rest lightly on her stomach. Fang took a deep breath, her head turning, but was otherwise still. Lightning's palm rose and left only her fingertips to Fang's skin. They drifted upward, eliciting a quiet gasp from the hume. It was still there, that odd bristled feeling. She couldn't see whatever was causing it, but she could feel it all the same, like the pelt on a newborn pup. And it was everywhere, at least Lightning assumed so. It wasn't on Fang's palms, likely not on the soles of her feet, but it _felt_ like it was everywhere else. Just like her goosebumps at the soft scratch of it on her skin some few hours prior.

Lightning would find the invisible pelt along Fang's jawline as she traced it with her finger. The close inspection was more so out of fascination than adoration. Not to say Fang wasn't attractive, she was one of the most beautiful women she'd ever laid eyes on. Still, she was something else, something not human. Not entirely. Suppose that's what garnered her curiosity instead of affection?

In any case, that gentle touch elicited a reaction from the L'Cie. Dusky lashes parted to reveal staggering emeralds, dim with lingering sleep in the first moments, but then bright with full awareness in them. And they centered on the hume. Light shied slightly, her hand lifting, then went still.

Fang pondered Light curiously at first, brow knitted gently in the middle, perhaps curious as to what the mercenary was doing here. But then the rest of her heightened senses focused and everything took its proper shape. There was no scent of tobacco burning in the air, or that of hops from numerous beers. This wasn't _her_ dorm. It smelled too clean.

It smelled of sex.

It wasn't a dream, it wasn't an illusion that Fang could almost feel Lightning all over her, in her pores, her scent still fresh in her nostrils, the taste of her heavy on her tongue like a sweet syrup. Those flashes were true, the young memories of only hours ago. The things she'd done to the helpless hume...oh gods. For a moment she shifted, propping herself up on her elbows so she might see if those were really her pants laying on the floor beside a shredded pair of fatigues. Then she flopped back down with a heavy shrug.

"I'm sorry." she croaked, rubbing her eyes with pressing fingertips.

At first Light didn't have a response, though her expression made made public her sense of confusion. Sorry for what?

"That's never happened t'me before."

Lightning's brow lowered. She felt that as least one of them was the wrong gender to have said that. "Um...it's okay... me either."

Fang's head snapped up, eyes severe. "Ya mean ya never...gods damn it," and then down it went again. "Now I feel worse."

"...Why?"

"Well, I mean..." Fang looked up the ceiling, contemplative. "Shit...I dunno what I mean. Guess I...I shouldn't have acted like that." _But I couldn't help myself...I don't understand what was goin' on._ "Should've been...better." _I didn't want to do that to you...not like that._

It would've been a bold faced lie if Fang said she hadn't wanted Lightning, right through her teeth. It didn't take long after their first encounter -that she could remember clearly- that Fang contemplated the distinct interest of getting the hume in bed. Girl was too damn pretty not to. But she'd never intended it to be the way it was. There was no control, only raw desire, the need to scratch an itch. Fang had wanted it to be more than that. Maybe not so far as _loving_, but certainly with more care.

And that itch wasn't sufficiently scratched, she realized. She could feel it, her skin still tingling, warm, just over Lightning's close proximity. The fact that she was stark naked sure as hell wasn't helping matters. No, no, better scram while you still can. Before it gets worse.

With a hard shake of her head, eyes screwed shut, Fang rolled out of the bed and began to recover her clothing. She sniffed at the lingering copper stink on her jeans as she pulled them up her legs.

"You didn't do anything wrong."

Fang almost smiled. "Awful nice of ya t'say, darlin'. But it just ain't true."

Lightning frowned. "Don't treat me like I don't know what I'm talking about."

"Well, considerin' what ya just told me, doesn't sound like ya do." then the L'Cie's tone changed from somewhat condescending to cautionary. "I could've hurt ya pretty bad."

"You didn't."

"I bit ya."

"So?"

"You can't tell me that's what ya wanted." her dusky brows lowered as she picked up what was left of her flannel shirt.

Light was silent for a moment, without a response. Then, "It doesn't even hurt."

"That's not my point." She shook her head again, her hands slipping into her pockets. Fang looked evenly at her. "I drew blood...can still taste it...how is that okay?"

_And how in the hell am I supposed to answer that?_ The psychology behind it was ridiculous, thesis worthy even. Light couldn't even begin to guess the results of any answer she could consider. One painted her as a closet masochist, another as a helpless human who wouldn't stand up to the big bad wolf, and then another made her out to be some confused queer who just didn't know what she wanted. None of those were good, much less entirely true. What was closer to the truth was the still lingering and underlying guilt. A sense of responsibility regarding the L'Cie and what had thus far become of her.

What happened a few hours ago was, in reality, a lot of different things. One of which, Lightning thought, was an act of penance. And for Fang, perhaps subconsciously, retribution.

"I should go." Fang almost shrugged as the silence stretched on. "Maybe I can sleep it off." She _hoped_ she could, having convinced herself this was just a temporary state of_...want._ She could almost feel the animal stretching, just beneath her skin, reaching...

"I want to talk about this."

"What's there to talk about?" Fang's expression became incredulous. "I kicked in your door for Etro's sake...might as well say I raped ya."

"It wasn't like that." Though what they did could have _easily_ been confused for that.

"But you didn't want it,"

"Don't put words in my mouth." Lightning scowled. _I'm a grown woman, gods damn it._

"So you're sayin' ya did?"

Light felt heat rise into her face at the question, her gaze threatening to drift away from the L'Cie. "Well-I...I think I would've liked to sit down to dinner with you a few times before we got to _that_..."

"That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be. Fang," her tone was slightly pleading, "tell me what's going on."

"I don't _know_," it was a half snarl that rumbled through a clenched jaw as Fang raked her nails once over her scalp. "Like I said, it's never been like this."

She used to have control, used to know how to play the game. It was never a struggle unless she, or her current playmate wanted it to be. But that was before PSICOM. Before they fucked everything up.

"Please, talk to me."

Fang pressed her fingers into her eyes again, taking a deep breath to try and ease her pounding heart. "Put some clothes on first, would ya? You're distractin' me."

"Oh, um...yeah."

Fang would pace the room, anxious in waiting as Lightning pulled a suitcase out from under her bed to sift through for still intact clothing. She would glance back from time to time, unable to resist seeing that body move, never mind how it wasn't going to do her any favors.

_You want it. Take it. She won't fight._

Fang bit her lip against the thought, bit down hard. In the end she turned her back to the hume entirely. Didn't help matters much. Could still smell her, and that was just as bad as looking.

"So what happened?" Light felt properly concealed now in a tank top and cargo shorts.

Fang felt herself shiver at the question. "I dunno how to explain it. Woke up in Moira's lab...still not feelin' right... next thing I've got my hand down your pants. Like walkin' in a fog,"

"Could it be aftershocks of what Ada did to you?"

"I don't think so," Fang shook her head slowly, turning to face Light once again. "Certainly didn't help, but...it was somethin' else...just hooked in t'me." and her fingers curled, mimicking talons.

"What made you come here?" of all places.

"Ponderin' it now...your scent I think. Although it wasn't quite..._yours_. It's changed."

One rosy brow raised. "Is that good or bad?"

"Hell iffin' I know." Fang's shoulders bobbed once, her features puzzled.

"And what about the peach fuzz?"

"Pardon?" and Fang listened as Lightning described the microscopic pelt that she had felt, and put her hand to her face mid-explanation to feel it for herself. It bristled against her palm. "Well _that's_ new. Dunno how I feel about it."

"Maybe we should have Moira check you out."

"Oh no; I'd better be dyin' before that harpy comes within an arm's length of me again."

"And if it gets worse?" Lightning crossed her arms, one brow still raised.

"I'll worry about it then."

"What if it's too late by then?"

"Y'know, this whole 'logic' thing you're doin' startin' t'get on my nerves." Fang's eyes narrowed on her, the corner of her mouth turning in a seemingly irritated manner. "But if anyone's goin' under that old bag's lens it's you."

The other brow went up. "Why?"

"Don't want that bite gettin' infected."

"It's not going to get infected." Light shook her head with a quiet huff. "Like I said, it doesn't hurt. It doesn't even itch." and just out of some mental curiosity she reached back toward the mark, expecting to find scabs at the most. Maybe a little swelling.

"Lemme have a look," Fang stepped back to the bed, brows high as she tried to see. But all she would glimpse is the sudden change in Lightning's expression. "What? Wassamatter?"

No swelling, no tenderness or the remnants of the puncture marks Light would've sworn to be there. "It's gone." was the only answer she had. "There's nothing."

"Bullshit," Fang cursed quietly, strides stretching until she was in front of Lightning, both hands fisting in her white tank top and pulling the hume forward. The top of the mercenary's head was cradled almost too perfectly in the L'Cie's pelvis. "This ain't right," Fang said above her.

"You think maybe we both dreamed it?" came Light's slightly muffled suggestion. In the flurry of their..._activities_, it was possible.

"The hell we did." Fang still had the copper flavor on her tongue, even hours later. There was no mistaking it. "That's that. The doc's gonna have a look at ya _right now_."

"You make it sound like I'm dying." Light grumbled a little as she straightened.

"Not quite..." but there was a list of things in her mind, and the list was getting longer by the minute. Most of it was full of bullshit, nothing genuinely worrisome, but then there were the few that just struck her. "Come on, sunshine, best not wait."

"Gods, you sound like my mother."

"Don't make me put ya over my knee, missy. Now get a move on."

Moira wasn't in her lab when they arrived, so they waited. For perhaps the better part of an hour they would hang out, sitting, Fang chewing on the edge of her lip while Light was still with her arms and legs crossed. When the geneticist returned she nearly choked on the cup of tea she had brought from the commissary at the sight of her visitors, certainly not having expected them. She cleared her throat, wiping a stray droplet on her sleeve, and adjusted her glasses before addressing them.

"Can I do somethin' fer ya?" her tone was level, unassuming, though her gaze wandered slightly. Seeming to refuse to settle on them.

"Ya want the whole story or just the specifics?" Fang almost smirked with a slight curl of her lips.

"Specifics will do." she responded while striding into her office. The other two would follow, Lightning pausing just outside the threshold to notice that maintenance had repaired the gashes Fang had left in the wall. "Please, go on."

Fang propped herself against the wall, shoulder to it, hands in her pockets. "A couple hours ago I bit sunshine here on the shoulder. Drew blood, gums deep, the whole nine yards. Now there's no sign of it."

"Just a few hours ya say? Hmm," Moira made a curious hum as she began tapping away on her keyboard. "Miss Farron?"

"Hmm?" Light showed subtle surprise at being addressed.

"Might I ask ya," she began before clearing her throat again. "Earlier, while in the pursuit of Miss Fang, did ya experience any asthmatic symptoms?"

"Well," she thought about it. "No, actually."

"Not even hints of an onset?"

"No." Nothing outside the usual fatigue from running full tilt for a sustained period. "Why?"

"I 'ave my suspicions, though I'll need blood from both of ya for confirmation."

"Seriously?" Fang griped, rolling her eyes. "You and your go-juice...startin' t'think you're a vampire."

"Ya wanna know or nae?" one brow vaulted over the rim of her glasses.

"Fine. Let's get it over with." there was a slight growl to her consent, giving the impression that she was far from being in the mood to put up with this shit. But if it meant putting her mind at ease, so be it. Though she would scowl and huff about it the whole time as she found herself sitting again. And by the time the good doctor was finished, she had the feeling of someone rubbing her the wrong way, skin somewhat livid.

Light would let her mind wander through the process, ignoring the thick pressure of the needle entirely due to the depth of her thoughts.

_Maybe the serum finally ran its course...I bet that's all. Maybe this...healing is a temporary side-effect. Yeah. It'll go away. But that doesn't explain what happened to Fang. It couldn't just be the leftovers of that...fury._

If that was the case, Light had a feeling she would've come out much worse for wear. Scrambling to get all the blood back in and looking for missing digits. Though she was, instead, finding worry over Fang's current state. Why was she so bothered, almost looking ashamed? Wasn't it...hadn't it been a good thing?

Minutes, hours would tick by, nearly two of them to be almost precise, before Moira would say another word.

"Well," she cleared her throat after a sip of tea. It was cold by now. "It's jus' a theory,"

"And?" The two asked in unison, though Fang's tone was much rougher than Lightning's.

"It appears the serum's reactin' on a...genetic level. An' from what I can tell s'far, it appears Miss Fang is the catalyst."

"Meaning what?" it was only Light who spoke this time. Perhaps Fang couldn't find the words. Her shocked expression would certainly suggest it.

"To put it simply -an' I use the term loosely as I'm still not entirely sure- the serum has slightly _mutated_ your DNA. The regenerative cells have adapted and co-opted to your physiology and..._changed_ it."

"Into what?" the question wasn't exactly desperate, but it wasn't exactly _not_ either. And still not a word from Fang, though there was a new wideness to her eyes.

"I'm still lookin' into that."

"What could've caused the reaction?"

"Any number of things, I'd imagine." Moira lounged back into her chair, arms and legs crossing in one practiced motion. "Speakin' o' which, I 'ave a question."

Both Light's brows raised, giving consent to do so.

"D'ya know when your next menstrual cycle is due?"

Her expression stretched further, her mouth opening slightly but with momentary pause for any direct answer. "Um...a few days...maybe." Having been single for so long, the L word notwithstanding, it wasn't something she made note to keep track of.

Moira nodded with a near enthusiasm. "I see."

"See what?"

"My theory," she cleared her throat again. "Your interactions with Miss Fang fully activated the serum, be it possibly jus' from bein' in close proximity t'one another, or physical contact, even fluid transfer."

Such as kissing.

Even biting.

"Safe t'say, I believe you're cured of your asthma, Miss Farron. Though it's _also_ safe t'say there's much more goin' on here."

"Thanks for statin' the obvious." finally Fang said something. The remark was sharp, almost hissing. And her expression had firmed and darkened.

"But what does my cycle have to do with this?"

"The nature of your symptoms seems to revolve around it, considerin' what I found in your blood work. Hormones I mean. With the way your DNA has changed, it has become similar though _not_ identical to hers," auburn hair swished against her shoulders as her head tilted in the L'Cie's direction. "The combination of those factors leads me t'believe you've come into some sort of...heat."

The air in the room thickened, grew heavy. You'd need a jackhammer to get through it.

Fang could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage, almost hard enough to hurt. Things were clicking, making sense. The serum...the urge to screw anything that held still long enough...the fury opening up her senses to their most primal levels...the subtle change in Light's scent...

"So...does that mean I'm a L'Cie?" Lightning asked, her tone level. Like the whole "heat" thing just flew right over her head.

"Nae. Your blood type has yet t'change as all L'Cie's do. By all rights an' purposes you're still human. In fact I would imagine these symptoms will resolve once you've completed your cycle. Even the mild mutation may revert after a spell off the serum."

Light's fingers curled in her lap, her mind buzzing.

"I need to look into it further." Moira adjusted her glasses. "Still, until I 'ave anythin' concrete, I want ya t'keep me updated on any other symptoms."

Lightning nodded without a word.

Another tense, quiet, moment passed. Moira's gaze shifted. "Miss Fang? 'Ave ya anythin' t'add? Somethin' I might need t'know?"

By now her dusky brows were low over her eyes, lids narrowed and heavy lines forming in her features. She didn't answer, didn't have one, and just stood up and left the room with no small amount of hurry. She had to get away from that scent, away from the cause of the itch in her skin and the heat between her legs.

The other two women watched, Moira showing genuine curiosity while Lightning had veiled worry in her eyes.

"Mayhaps _you'd _be willin' to tell me of any other...oddities?"

Slowly, thinking it through carefully, Lightning did her best to recount what she could.

Fang would stalk the corridors back to her dorm, fists forming at her sides as she did so, hunches high and features tight. The claws were threatening to pop, the hidden blades sliding slightly forward and causing a burning sting which only fueled her foul temperament. It was still visible in a resounding tension to her body, her movements almost jerking, and as she stepped into her room she kicked the door shut. She shivered, features twisting in some savage mixture of emotions, and she fell back. She hit the door, sliding downward, fingers curling into her scalp almost too hard. Her chest began to swell in rapping succession as deep breaths raced in and out.

Her thoughts were going a mile a minute.

_Animal. Freak. Look what you did. You're spreading your _disease_. Should've stayed in your cage where you belong. Should've let PSICOM _keep_ you._

Another surge of tension, tight rage roiling, and the claws slid forward again. Tips revealed with a restrained whimper of pain, a steely whisper near her ears.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to have control and the animal was supposed to be quiet, sleeping. Instead it paced back and forth on the inside, had been doing it much more often lately, and in snarled and growled with some sort of agitation. In some cases it was vying for dominance, and in some cases it won out.

PSICOM ruined everything.

_No. They just brought out something that was already a part of you. You've always been an animal. It's in your blood. They just gave you _claws.

And that was the bitter truth.

_Wandering from place to place, taking what you needed and taking off. It's what animals do to survive. That's what you are, you just can't hide it anymore._

A hard, drawn out growl rumbled through her, fingers still curling tighter and only loosening after the sound faded. Fang then looked at her hands, saw the shimmering razors that sprouted from between her fingers with hard etched features. It was a look of disgust.

You take what you need and take off. Yup, sounded right.

Fang wasn't about to deny it would've been just that way had her and Lightning actually met up for their supposed dinner date. Knowing herself so well she was certain to have gotten the mercenary in bed and then see her off come the next morning never to see her again. It would've suited her just fine, too. No point in getting attached, risking the secret getting out. Risk having to pull up stakes and disappearing again. For the hundredth time.

Wandering from place to place. That's what animals do. They eat, sleep, and fuck until they're satisfied and then go looking for it elsewhere.

Maybe that was it. Maybe it was time...she needed to move on. Stayed in one place too long.

_Need to go where no one knows me...where my secret's still a secret._

Fang stood up slowly, carefully, hands bracing against the door until she straightened. She took a deep breath as she stepped towards the bed, hands curled over the back of her neck for a moment. She found the duffel at the foot of her bed and reached into it, finding her last pair of good jeans. She needed to get out of these clothes. The stink of dried blood was just too much. For a moment she was completely bare, pausing, contemplative. Then with a toss of her hair in the shaking of her head she pulled the fresh pants over each leg, one after the other.

The dull whirr of the zipper was accompanied by an equally subdued knock on her door. With an irritated roll of her eyes she growled her permission. Against her better instincts I might add.

Lightning would catch a glimpse of the hard, anxious twitching of the muscles in Fang's bare back as she stepped into the room, momentarily pausing before she swallowed, forming words.

"Fang...can we talk?"

"Nothin' t'talk about." she said, trying to sound collected. But it couldn't be further from true. Already Lightning's scent was wafting about her, prickling the peach fuzz that she could now clearly feel bristling up and down her body. It was sensitive enough to almost hurt with denim pressing against some of it.

"Yes there is." Light pushed the door closed, a quiet click as the latch caught. "Don't shut me out."

"I don't owe you _jack_," the snarl was deceptively restrained. "Just 'cause we fucked don't mean ya get any privileges."

Light flinched, though not visibly. The words were cutting, nigh on painful for the hume. Though she hadn't been expecting any...privileges, as Fang so plainly put it. She swallowed again. "I don't blame you."

"Ya don't have to."

"Moira said that whatever is going on with me...it's affecting you too."

"Nice t'know ya noticed." _Seriously, where the hell have you been?_ "Got any other breakin' news?"

Light's brow knitted. "Have you always been this difficult?"

_Only since you walked through the door, darlin'._ But there was no vocalized answer.

Lightning crossed her arms, her tone starting to cross as well. "She said the mild mutation is...causing an attraction." she didn't know how else to word it, and neither had Moira at the time.

Fang didn't like the sound of that. Not one damn bit. "Hmph." it was almost a laugh, though a bitter one it would've been had it fully formed. She straightened, having been looking for a shirt this whole time and finally fishing out her black and red flannel. "Ya sayin' ya want more of the same? Can't say I'm in the mood to oblige."

But that was a damn lie. By now her skin was so raw it was making her sick. There was a gentle watering in her mouth and Lightning's scent only spiked her pulse in all the wrong ways. The animal was still hungry and wanted nothing more than the hume's sweet pussy on its tongue. Still, the L'Cie didn't want to risk any more harm.

_You're a danger to everyone around you,_ Moira had said. And the words still echoed in Fang's now feverish mind. Somewhere among the lust and the growling protests of the animal.

Fang would feel a slight movement in the air against the sensitive pelt, and then a subtle heat to her back. Lightning had so quietly crossed the floor that she almost didn't hear. Or maybe Fang was just too bothered to really notice the motion.

"I just want to help. Please, let me."

Fang hissed the air through her teeth as she felt the hume's fingertips in the middle of her naked back, her skin reacting in a heavy shiver that went from stem to stern. Her jaw tightened and she swallowed down the sounds trying to wriggle up from her throat. Though she couldn't stop the claws from fully extending as her hands turned to fists, one of them still clutching the shirt she had yet to put on. She still had every intention of doing it, but simply hadn't yet. And it didn't appear that she ever would at this rate.

Light felt the bristle of the pelt beneath her fingers and felt a shiver as well, gooseflesh appearing on her forearms. Her body heated, responded to whatever reaction was happening in her veins as we speak, and was fascinated by it. The tips exchanged with her knuckles, and she stroked them down the length of the L'Cie's spine. The growl that erupted only served to excite her further.

"This ain't helpin'," Fang had screwed her eyes shut, face tight, lips pulled back in a toothy grimace. Otherwise she was stock still save for a small shiver up and down her frame.

"But...doesn't it feel good at least?"

_Oh yeah, good, darlin'. Damn good. But it ain't right. It ain't honest._

It was all chemicals. Physiological reactions. Unnatural. It wasn't meant to be like this.

Light noticed the quickened pace of her own heart. This...heat, whatever it was, it was making her bolder. Confident. Slowly she eased forward, bent her neck, and pressed a kiss to the hard bend of her shoulder. She felt the pelt prickle against her lips like the sting of static.

Fang shuddered, eyes rolling back as her knees threatened to give. "Stop," she gasped.

"Please," another kiss, between the shoulder blades this time, "we can work this out. Let me try."

"_No_," the word was grinding its way out, forced as the hume put her hands over the bends of Fang's hips, fingers curling into the hem of her jeans. They were tugging, encouraging, quietly demanding that she turn. Fang looked down at Lightning, lips parted as she tried to breathe, their gazes locking. "It ain't _fair_," she exhaled.

Light took a moment to look her over, to appreciate that amazing body, those pert breasts and nipples now tight with need.

"You're playin' with fire."

"And I want to get burned." she whispered, rising to the balls of her feet so she could kiss the wild L'Cie.

That was it, the nail in the coffin. The reaction started anew with the intimate contact, like a shock to the guts, and Fang couldn't do a thing about it. The animal was much too hungry and much too strong now. It was in control, though her body protested at first, tensing to the kiss. Still, she didn't fight it, couldn't, and surrendered to the hume what she was so adamantly asking for.

Light pushed back against her, her fingertips pressing into Fang's stomach to make her move. The hume paused at just the right moment to watch as Fang fell back, onto the bed, settling on her elbows. She pulled her shirt over her head in one quick motion before drawing near again, easing into the L'Cie's lap. Her hands cupped Fang's jawline, another shiver vibrating her form as the pelt scratched against her palms. Another kiss, then another jolt of sensation shot up her back as she felt the heat of Fang's hands settle over her hips. Strong fingers hooked into her backside and she groaned into Fang's mouth. Adamantium tips grazed the backs of her legs. Then a heavy growl shook her.

"_Wolves..."_ Moira had confessed where Fang's genes came from during their earlier conversation. "_Wolves...mate once in a lifetime...your DNA may 'ave become a potential match..."_

The mutation was the source of this _heat_. Light was letting it take its hold, letting the L'Cie mark her, claim her. Where was the remorse, the disgust? Where was the repulsion of letting some freak put their hands on her?

"_It could resolve on its own...too high a risk in waitin' it out..."_ Moira had said that Fang's blood work revealed a severe increase in adrenaline and testosterone, hence her agitated and moody behavior. The geneticist assumed it must have peaked with Reflux's tampering, but it was remaining constant still hours later even after she was given the heavy sedative. She also assumed the sustained symptoms -as well as the new ones such as the pelt- were due to this heat. _"She can't help herself...and she won't let me do anythin'..."_

I can help, Light was convinced. I can make this right.

Just give the animal what it wanted. Feed the wolf. And Lightning thought herself the perfect offering, seeing as she was the cause of this mess to start with.

_I can save you._

Fang's teeth snapped together and a hiss of air went between them as she felt Light pulling apart the closure of her jeans, the zipper buzzing as it was spread open. She was pushed back again, the mattress shifting with Lightning's weight as she eased to her feet and pulled the denim down her legs. Fang's hands clenched, fingers hooked like talons. The animal wanted, _needed_ to touch her so badly. Just a few seconds without it was like torture, a sharp abrasion scraping across her skin. And the animal watched the hume shimmy out of her shorts, watched her hips sway back and forth with all the hunger a predator would. And the gaze only intensified as it caught wind of the human's arousal, the scent wafting right up to her as Lightning slid into her lap again.

Gods damn it, this was so unfair.

Up was down, black and white had changed places, and "no" didn't mean no anymore. It meant _fuck me_. No control, no choice. Just heat. And that wasn't the worst of it. She wanted Lightning, she wouldn't deny that.

But not like this.

The animal smelled the arousal, and it would then smell traces of blood in the air as adamantium sliced into flesh, just deep enough to draw it out. It reacted to both in kind, growling, tasting, gripping with tooth and nail. Its pelt raised to the touch of its chosen mate, the invisible fibers releasing more of the catalyst that started the blood-deep reaction in the human. It was running its course, making the woman want, making her crave. It gave her the confidence and grace to pleasure the animal, to sate its own hunger and to accept the tiny pains of its claws in her flesh. Lightning could handle it, it knew she could. She'd done it before and had come back for more.

Fang was lost to it, the animal won out. She should have fought it harder, said no a little louder maybe. But it wasn't enough. God damn hume just kept _pushing_, asking to get bit. Her body was feverish, shivering treachery as Lightning pushed her gently down, kisses still pressing with her tongue working past her marginally protesting lips. Fang could only try to not cut her as her fingers twisted into that beautiful head of rosy strands, but Light's small wince and tiny whimper were conclusive signs of her failure.

"It's okay," she whispered, her breath heated. She had said the same for the small scratches on her arms, her back.

Fang's fingers tightened, pulling. It wasn't okay, but she couldn't stop. Like before, she just couldn't help it. Just like she couldn't help allowing a strained groan to escape as she felt Lightning's hand smooth over her heated sex, fingers delving into the silken warmth. Her body bowed, chest rising and the back of her head pressing into the mattress. It wasn't long at all before Lightning's tender mercies had her world spinning, Fang's climax swift and severe as their bodies writhed together.

Sweat was rolling down her face, she could feel it, and her eyelids parted to look up. Fang tried to focus on the ceiling instead of the human, thinking maybe it would do something to bate this hunger if Lightning wasn't pervading _all_ of her senses. But it served no purpose, she couldn't keep her gaze away, so weak. The animal would have its way. Instead she drew her down, captured Light in another searing kiss, and silently demanded with the temerity of her grip for more.

The animal was still so hungry.

Author's Note: Almost a month and this is what came out of it. You can thank Lora Leigh for most of it...I do enjoy her work. Guess I wanted my next dose of erotica to be a little more intense, I think I managed. I've also gotten most of the rest of this fic solid in my head, so I should be able to crank out the rest on schedule. Don't quote me though. Just a reminder that if you have a question for my next, please feel free to send them in. Otherwise it'll be full of nothing but me gushing about how awesome my readers are and my nerdgasming over Marvel in general. Anyway, thanks for your patience, everyone. You're the best.


	19. Chapter 18

**XIII**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Hope was awake, noticeably responsive, but very weak. All the youthful strength was sapped out of him, you could see it in the way he moved so sluggishly, how just attempting to sit up was a struggle. And the responsiveness I mentioned was slow to come back, as when his eyes opened at first he looked at the Cardiologist quizzically and muttered "Mom?", even though the two looked nothing alike.

"Mr. Esthiem, this is Dr. Shera, she'll be takin' a closer look at yer ticker." Moira said, her tone soft as she spoke from his bedside.

He rubbed his eyes slowly, blinking.

"Good afternoon," the Cardiologist sounded young, cheerful.

"Afternoon?" he blinked again.

"About three o'clock." Moira confirmed with a glance at her wristwatch.

He seemed to shrug. "...Is everyone okay? What happened?"

"That can wait." Dr. Shera insisted. She had the business end of a stethoscope in her hand with full intent to use it. "Just breathe normally."

Hope did as he was told, going still and waiting patiently, flinching as the cold pad touched his chest. He watched her face as she listened, watched her thin features quirk a time or two.

"It sounds like a mild arrhythmia...not surprised if it was as severe as you described." she straightened, taking the instrument from her ears. Then she looked over her shoulder to Moira "I'd like to do an ECG series if it's possible. And perhaps a CT."

"Be m'guest. I'm sure we've got a wheelchair about here somewhere."

"But it's just the next room over, Moira," Hope somewhat complained. "I'm not crippled."

"Oh aye, but I doubt anyone's of the mind ta drag ya should ya collapse in the hall. Now you'll 'ave the chair an' like it."

And he shrank a little, as if to say "yes, mother". He would do exactly as she said, and it would turn out that he didn't mind the wheelchair as much as he expected to. What he _did_ mind were the tests. He was a doctor for gods' sakes, he was supposed to _administer_ the exams, not receive them. Thankfully Dr. Shera had wonderful bedside manner and was gentle as a lamb. When you feel as pitiful as the empath does, the little things make a helluva difference.

As he sat there all wired up and waiting, Hope thought to inquire a second time as to the events following his impromptu heart failure.

"I cannae tell ya very much," Moira cleared her throat before answering. "Young Serah could if ya'd rather I page her."

"It's not that important," he shook his head. "Mostly curious. Is Vanille all right?"

"Aye. She sat with ya for the last day an' a 'alf, so I gave her somethin' ta help her relax an' sent her off to bed. That was a few hours ago, I don' imagine she'll be up again for a while yet."

He nodded. "What happened to Ada?"

Moira took a breath, finding a suitable excuse to keep her eyes low as she was reading through something. "She's alive, though it's debatable whether that be fortunate or nae." another breath. "She sent Fang into one o' them...furies."

"I know. I remember." just barely, but he could if he tried. "Was anyone else hurt?"

"Nae that I can recall, none of ours. Most of us were just...scared I suppose."

Another nod. "Does Cid know?"

"I told 'im what I could. I'm supposin' the others 'ave given him more thorough reports by now."

"It's arrhythmia, like I thought." Shera suddenly interjected. The ECG was actively spitting out paper that tracked the rhythm of the contractions of his heart. Something was obviously off. "So there's some damage to the organ. Up for a CT, Mr. Esthiem?"

"Oh?" he managed a smile. "I was just starting to get comfy."

"I know, I'm sorry. Still, the sooner we finish up here, the sooner we can get you back in bed."

"Fair enough." and he would wait until the scans were concluded before asking his next question. "What about Fang?"

Moira shrugged once again. "Things have been...peculiar. It's hard t'say what's goin' on with her as it stands."

"What do you mean?"

"Somethin's happened...there's been a reaction to the serum..." her brow was slowly furrowing, causing the geneticist to take off her glasses and rub her eyes with her thumb and index finger. "I dunno how ta describe it."

His brows quirked as he eased back into the wheelchair. He'd never seen Moira act this way. "Then just give it to me straight."

She put her glasses back on and made her habitual adjustments to how they laid across the bridge of her nose. With them in their proper place she was able to find the words to explain what was on her mind. The myriad of expressions that twisted Hope's features was incredible.

"I jus' wanted ta help." Moira's tone had become so pitiful.

"Unwanted help is just harm with good intentions, Moira. You know that."

"Aye...dinnae mean I 'ave ta like it."

"True, but it would be helpful if you minded the saying from time to time. But, to change the subject," he cleared his throat gently. "What's going to happen to Ada?"

"I dunno just yet. Mr. Raines was ta call me back," she checked her watch again, "about an hour ago. 'Til he does...suppose keepin' 'er under watch will 'ave to do."

"Has she been any trouble?" knowing Ada as he did, he almost didn't bother asking. "Put her hands on anyone?"

"Not that she could be." Moira finally looked at him. "Fang cut her eyes out."

"Etro's grace," he breathed.

"An' her step-sister is here...it seems ta help. As for any physical contact I couldn't truly say. I'm assumin' nae."

Hope nodded slowly, his arms crossing. It was quiet for just a moment. "I need to talk to her. Fang, I mean."

"Ya sure that's wise?" Moira vaulted a cautious eyebrow.

"Not entirely. Still...she needs to know that I don't blame her. She needs to hear it from me."

"I suppose, but," before she could get another word out, Dr. Shera reappeared from Moira's office. "What did ya find?"

"I didn't see any serious physical damage to his heart -no tissue death at least- which is good. But we'll have to put you on medication for the arrhythmia." and she looked at Hope who responded quietly with a single nod. Then Shea addressed Moira. "I would suggest sotalol if you can get a hold of it out here."

"I can get it." she assured.

"Okay. Then you should monitor his heart for about ten minutes daily for a week after beginning the medication. If there's any improvement then we'll stick to it, if not, give me a call."

"Of course. Thank ya so much for makin' such a trip, doctor."

"My pleasure." she smiled and laughed a little. "Now back to bed with you, Mr. Esthiem."

"If you insist. But, out of left field, could I have a shirt?"

Shera settled behind the wheelchair and began to push him towards the door. "I'm starting to appreciate you without it."

"Please, let's be professional," he chuckled. "Besides, I'm unavailable."

"I can still look, can't I?"

Moira just rolled her eyes, shaking her head a little. Kids.

_(II)_

Caius Ballad hated phones. Had _always_ hated them, since before he could remember. They were so hard on his ears, the _racket_ they made. That's why when he carried one, if he had no other choice, he turned it to vibrate and that was that. And rarely ever did he call out, not that he had anyone to get in touch with other than his superiors. Such as now. If he didn't have to, he wouldn't have.

With visible misery in his feline features he put the cellular to his ear, waiting through the customary tones. One brow quirked slightly at Dr. Nabaat's voice on the other end, and by the sounds of it she had just woken up.

_"Who is this?"_

"Doctor,"

A frustrated groan. _"Do you know what time it is?"_

"Assuming that I care?"

And another._ "What do you want?"_

"I was hoping you could find something for me. Do we still have Commander Farron's file?"

_"Naturally. But I can't access it from my bed."_

"Then relocate." he growled. "If you would be so kind."

A grumble with a swear somewhere in there carried over the line, making the L'Cie smirk a little. _"I thought it was decided that the commander was dead."_

"True, but I have a curiosity I wish to satisfy." the smirk widened.

_"What are you up to, Caius?"_ the suspicion in the question was almost palpable.

"Nothing you need to worry your little head about, doctor. Now, the file?"

_"Hmph,"_ and there was a moment of silence, though Caius' keen ears picked up the distinct _tic-tack_ of a keyboard on the far end. _"There. I've sent it to the terminal at the outpost. Have fun."_

"Thank you, doctor. Good night."

Though she hung up before "night" left his mouth. He put the phone down, glad to do so, and then stood up from the table to creep into the adjacent room. The terminal was always on so he had to do little more than have a seat in front of it and tap in a few commands to bring up the message, and consequently the files he had requested. As he began to read through the first few paragraphs, he felt a presence about him, one large paw reaching to touch where he felt it focus on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Yeul asked.

"Looking."

"What are you looking for?"

"Well," he purred, "we need bait to draw out the runt. But first we need to acquire our bait."

"I see. She has family."

"Indeed." a small nod. "I would imagine we would find _some_ use in knowing their whereabouts."

"Wouldn't they suspect something?"

"I would be foolish to think they wouldn't. Still, that doesn't stop some people. They enjoy putting their heads in a lion's mouth, I suppose."

Both of them cut a similar smile and exhaled with a little laugh at the exact same time. Kind of creepy.

"So what is your plan?"

"I'm still thinking it through, weighing my options," as he had already so many in his mind. So many routes to take to reach the same destination. "But I am fairly certain I will need your help."

Yeul seemed excited, her eyes appearing to light up, and her smile from moments ago returned. "Anything."

"Good." and he exhaled leisurely, a slight rumble to the sound. "Now...it would appear there is a younger sister and a mother..." he read further, finding what little information the file had on them. Particularly the residential address. He knew it wasn't right, and had a feeling he had NORA to thank for that. There were a lot of things he thought to blame them for. "Where have they gone..." he pondered to himself aloud.

"Could you not search by their names?"

"Of course." So with a few clicks he minimized the window containing the file to do what anyone else would do when they needed information: Moogle it.

"So...when this job is done, you will be paid?"

A quiet grumble. "So to speak. Once I bring the runt in, the humes will resume their work. As to _when_ I will be paid remains to be seen."

Yeul moved quietly closer, her arms moving about his neck and her cheek coming to rest against his head. "I hope it's soon."

"As do I."

And his search would continue in silence.

_(III)_

Fang woke. Not too suddenly, not too sluggishly, she simply opened her eyes and was aware. With ease and unconscious care she rose to her palms, arms propping her partially upright, and she took a look around. Gathered her situation. Her features stiffened with a shamed grimace as searching eyes fell on the hume still sleeping beside her. The frown deepened as she spied the smudges of copper on Lightning's skin, reddened lines where her claws had cut her and had since healed. Fang looked away, pain evident in her twisted expression. She stood up slowly, not wanting to disturb her guest, and went about her initial task of dressing. Tank top, jeans, flannel shirt buttoned from the bottom up, boots, jacket, and the aussie cap from the bedside table lamp. She would leave the room just as quietly as she had moved about inside, entering the hallways and starting to walk with one hand in her pocket, the other keeping a grip on her leather jacket and hat over her shoulder. Her brow was low and thick over her eyes.

_Gotta get off this rock for a spell...too much goin' wrong...I don't know what else to do._

Fang's skin still itched, though not nearly as bad as before. Lightning's scent was still _all over_ her, but it wasn't as distracting. That urge to fuck was gone. Thankfully. Maybe this _heat_ thing was passing. But that wasn't doing much to ease Fang's anxiety. There was so much more to it now, too many things that took the simplicity away.

_It wasn't fair._

Childish as it may have sounded, the thought was making her guts twist. She shook her head against it.

_Maybe Alyssa is still around...she could get me where I'm goin'._

But before she would encounter the teleporter, Fang would come across Lebreau.

The other L'Cie would pause mid-stride as she turned the corner and acknowledged Fang's presence. Maybe it was the look on her face, or perhaps Lebreau could sense it, but there was something so very wrong. Her eyes shimmered with genuine concern as she asked Fang if she was all right, and was mildly surprised when she stopped and answered.

Fang couldn't meet her gaze, her own eyes low and away. "No, sweetheart, I don't think so."

"What is it?"

"Just...guess I don't feel so good in my own skin...dunno."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she took a step closer, trying to catch Fang's eyes. "Why don't we just get a few drinks at the commissary and shoot the shit?" and then she attempted a hopeful smile.

"Don't think that's gonna help this time." Fang shook her head.

"There's got to be _something_ I can do." Lebreau was trying, gods love her, and her effort was in her voice. In the way she tried to touch Fang as a show of compassion, but the wild L'Cie shied, a breath hissing between her teeth. As if it hurt.

"Sorry, sweetheart," she said. "I gotta disappear for a while...sort this out. Is Alyssa still about somewhere?"

"Um, yeah," Lebreau still appeared puzzled by Fang's reaction. "She's with Ada."

Fang felt herself stiffen a little. "Don't suppose she'd be in the mood to do me a favor?"

"I could ask. Come on."

The two would walk together, not another word passing between them as they made their way through the corridors. Fang's expression had a new tightness to it, though subtle. New lines around the eyes. But she was pondering her hand, where Lebreau's fingertips, just that, had come in contact with her skin. It was pulsing with a delicate sort of irritation. There was no redness, no swelling, just a low burn. Why?

They would pause in the midst of the medical wing, Lebreau gesturing for Fang to wait as she went into one of the rooms, likely where Ada and Alyssa were. It would be a minute or two, not long at all really, before the younger blonde girl emerged into the corridor.

"Hey, kid, how ya holdin' up?"

Alyssa wouldn't look at her, not directly. More so in the general vicinity of her. "Lebreau said you wanted something?"

"Uh, yeah," Fang rubbed the back of her head, scratching at her scalp a little. "Would ya care too much to take me somewhere?"

A moment passed without an answer, then, "If I say no?"

"Then I'll say please," Fang almost shrugged the response. Alyssa was afraid, if not terrified, and she could see it. Smell it even. "Look, ya don't have to if ya-,"

"Do you have an address?"

"Yeah,"

Alyssa pulled her phone from her pocket, hand shaking as it hovered over the touch screen. Fang would notice the deliberate effort she made to input the numbers and letters as she said them, like the girl had to really try. Another moment and the address brought up Moogle Maps on the screen.

"It's the middle of nowhere."

"I know." Fang nodded. "Perfect place for me t'be."

The teleporter was quiet for a spell, eyes closed briefly as if trying to steel herself. Then she looked up, meeting Fang's gaze. Level headed she said,"She may be my step-sister...and she may be working for PSICOM...but Ada's my best friend."

Fang felt the guilt hit her in the stomach, a cold fist, and her brow knitted.

"She's in a lot of pain. She's blind too. You did that."

"I know, kid, I know." Fang wasn't about to lie. No room to. "But I didn't mean to."

"That's what everyone else is saying...that Ada's a L'Cie and made you do it." Lines formed in the younger girl's expression, brow tightening. "But...how could _anyone_ have it in them to _do_ something like that?"

Now it was Fang looking away, having no answer nor the courage to face her.

"Still...I'll take you. You have everything you need?"

"Yeah. Whenever you're ready." Fang nodded stiffly, moving to pull on her jacket.

"Give me a second," and Alyssa disappeared back into the room she had come from, likely to tell Ada what was going on.

"Do you really have to leave?" Lebreau asked, her tone somewhat hushed.

"It's best, I think." Fang replied with a slight shrug, pushing the hat onto her head after tucking her unruly bangs behind her ears. "Just need some time away."

"You'll be careful..."

"O'course." and she feigned a smirk, surprised when the other woman appeared to buy it.

"Fang?"

Her head snapped to one side, to see where the sound came from, and she felt her stomach twist. It was Lightning, dressed, none the worse for wear with her hair slightly mussed. She looked a bit miffed, if not mildly puzzled as she approached with no noticeable hurry.

"Enjoy your nap?" Fang's tone was now assuming, as if nothing was wrong.

Lightning stopped some foot or two away, looking her over. "Going somewhere?"

"And if I am? Didn't know I had t'check in with ya."

"I'm not saying that." she shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what, sunshine?" though the term was used with more irritation than endearment. Fang could feel the hair on her neck rising. "I said my piece, but you weren't listenin'."

Light looked surprised, Lebreau even reacted, shrinking away slightly, suddenly feeling like this was the last place she should be.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know damn good and well." She met Light's gaze squarely, adjusting her posture that made her seem just a bit bigger. "It wasn't _fair._" and the last word was almost a snarl.

Light's eyes widened, her breath caught. For a second she hadn't anything to say, but mostly due to her needing to think where she heard her say that before. Then her expression quirked again. "_That's_ what this is about? Fang..." she had to stop and think again, "you didn't take advantage of me."

Those emerald eyes narrowed, darkened. "What makes ya think I'm talkin' 'bout _you_?"

Light felt a shiver go up her back at the low growl Fang's tone had become, and the way those eyes seemed to pierce straight through her. It was those traits that made Lightning discover the possible connection with her frustration. "You're upset...because I took the dominance from you, aren't you?" Lightning had a distinct feeling the wild L'Cie thrived, in some way, on self-loathing. On having reasons to put guilt on herself. "Because I asked for it?"

Fang took a breath through her nose, nostrils flared, and held it as she took one step towards the hume. A step large enough to put them mere inches apart. "No." She said, tone level, a once hard scowl slightly softened. "I'm angry because I said _no_. I said _stop_. And what did you do? You just. Kept. _Pushin'_. You took my _choice_ away. You knew I wouldn't be able t'stop once we started." another deep breath, a moment to try and read her unchanging face. "You _used_ me...ya fuckin' _hume_."

It wouldn't show, but Lightning felt her heart clench as she held fast under the weight of Fang's accusatory scrutiny. The words sank in quickly and hit home in an instant. For Etro's sake...she was no better than...than anyone.

"Fang...if you're ready, we can go."

"Ready and waitin'." Fang answered, lingering one last second before turning away from the human. She put a hand on Alyssa and then -_SNAP_- was gone in the next instant.

That left only Lebreau and Lightning in the corridor, and for a moment they simply stared back at one another. Light was waiting for the questions to start, or worse, for the rejection. She was the big, bad human, after all. Scared and stupid and out to get them. Lebreau just...didn't know what to think. Had a feeling she didn't want to either.

_(-)_

Alyssa would teleport them to a lonely stretch of road that cut through an expanse of ground you'd think the gods had forgotten about. Wastes for miles, nothing but empty and barren swaths full of stones and red earth as far as you could see, though the shadows of mountains could be spotted on the north horizon. And the air was cold and dry, a stiff wind coming in from the east. The younger L'Cie shivered, hands rubbing up and down her arms.

"You're sure about this?"

Fang cracked a smirk on the edge of her mouth and took a moment to look up and then down the road. "Yup. This's my stop."

"Do you have any way to stay in touch with NORA?"

"Find one if I need it." though she wasn't expecting to. "Take care of y'self, kid. An' thanks for the ride." and she started walking along the asphalt, hands in her pockets. Alyssa wouldn't say another word in caution or in farewell, and went on her way also. A _SNAP_ cracked the empty air. Fang found herself alone. Just as she felt it should be.

She looked about again as her feet made rhythmic motions along the road, taking it all in, taking a deep breath through her nose to smell the air. She grew up in these parts, well, not _these_ per say, but near by. Now that she saw it again after so long, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

_I could'a hid out here...PSICOM never would've caught a whiff of me._

_But I had to leave_, a little voice whispered, causing her features to stretch in mild despair. _Didn't want dad to find out what I was_.

Guess he was going to all the same.

Fang was holding out hope that she could still count on him, that he would offer her refuge. That is, if he was still living. He wasn't a young man when she was but a teen and took off in the dead of night. Twenty years later he could be gone. Then what? Fang shook the thought from her head, wolfish hair tossing in the wind.

But if he was still around...what would happen when she finally let him in on her dirty secret?

The question would plague her as she walked, even after putting some five miles or so behind her as well as the setting sun.

As it got darker she would begin to stray from the main road, out into the wastes that had subtly begun to show signs of life. Small critters scurried out of sight among the small stones and sprigs of brush popping out of the ground, lizards and mice. There were bigger things out there in the dark, be sure of it. Fang could smell them though they were behaving as if she couldn't. Coyotes mostly. They were all over the place in this area, in the shadow of those mountains to the north. It was the border of their territory, where the wastes and the meadows met. Where critters got bigger.

Stars dotted the darkened velvet sky, the moon reaching out of the horizon, and this is when Fang came upon a fence. One of those fancy ones that had the big signs saying "government property, authorized personnel only" and stretched some ten feet high or so. It wasn't monitored or electrified or laced with barbed wire, it was just there with its silent warning and the empty hope that folks would heed it. Fat chance.

Fang cut the fence open near one of its posts, a slit just big enough to through with little trouble and leaving no easily noticeable trace of her trespass. Not really trespass, actually. Though, even if she still had her wallet, her I.D., she wouldn't have taken the main entrance. Every road leading out of the reservation had a manned checkpoint. Yeah bad idea, so this would have to do.

Another mile or more would pass under her boots before Fang would find signs of people actually living out here, the pinpricks of light that were likely street lamps. There hadn't been any when she was growing up, so she could only guess. Still, even in the dark she could find her way. This was her element, this was home. Where her blood came from. But, in spite of that comfort, she would stay out of sight, keeping away from the lights and most of the homes that came into view. Dogs began to bark as she drew closer, but failed to draw any other attention to her presence.

She could feel her feet getting heavier as she went further along. She could see the house now, and it made her shoulders sink, her heart start to pound. There were lights on inside, and what appeared to be a jeep in the gravel driveway, so someone was home. She let out a heavy breath as she paused at the post box. Still said "Yun" on it, as old and rusted as it was. Fang looked up, towards the front door. No use in stalling any longer.

Fang had all the words in her head, how she would greet her father should he answer the door and not slam it on her face after the first glance.

_Hey dad, guess who? Sorry I stole your truck._

She was rehearsing them, just so, over and over in her mind as she mustered up the courage to knock on the door. It felt like she waited a short eternity before her nerves tightened at the sound of the bolt pulling back.

"Awful late, bub," came a gruff voice with a familiar accent, "better be damn important for-,"

Fang couldn't find the words now, though she had them ready. They just wouldn't come out. And even if she could, her father would have her up in his arms before she could utter the first syllable. It happened so fast, his whipcord muscle arms clapping round her frame, secure.

"Sweet gods, girl," the man's voice was tight, you could hear it, like he was on the verge of tears. His chest rose against her with deep and quick breaths. "Where've ya been?"

At first she couldn't answer, thoroughly surprised at her father's reaction. She had expected far worse. Then again, she hadn't told him anything yet. For the time being she welcomed his embrace, even smiled. "Got time t'sit and talk?"

He just laughed for a moment, his stubble covered, hard hewn cheek pressing into her hair. "Darlin', I got all the time in the world."

She hugged him back, albeit briefly. There was still a small matter she wanted to just get out of the way. Fang was tired of carrying it around. "But..." she straightened, "there's somethin' I gotta tell ya first."

His bushy brows raised, waiting.

Fang swallowed hard, steeling herself. "I'm a L'Cie. That's why I took off."

His expression stretched a little further. "Is that all? Honey, I knew."

"What?"

"I guess," he chuckled, "sounds like we both got a little explainin' t'do. Come on in, I'll get ya a beer and we'll catch up."

Yup. Beer sounded like a damn good idea.

Author's Note: Odd place to end it, yeah -and a little short-, but I'm jumping right back on the plot train in the next chapter. It's about time to kick this pig and be done with it. And, needless to say, things aren't looking to good for the Farron family. We'll see just how bad Caius intends to be come next week. (most likely.) Twenty Questions are still open, so send 'em in if you're of the mind to. Personal, work related, it's fair game. Lot's of love to all of you and thanks for your patience.


	20. Chapter 19

**XIII**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Tavisen Yun had never been known as, or saw himself as a very wealthy man. But first you need to consider which definition of wealth he was talking about. No, he didn't have a lot of money, most folks on the reservation didn't. He had his own business as an auto repair expert and all around handyman. It paid the bills and kept the fridge stocked, so it was enough. He didn't have a large home -again, most Oerban's didn't- it was just big enough for a small family, four people at the most. But it had power and running water that almost never failed. With that, and his good health, he was content.

He stood built at almost six feet tall, broad shoulders and chest, solid legs that had enough strength to press against the faded denim of his jeans even when upright. His sable hair was showing flecks of gray in the roots, clearly visible as it was short in the front and longer in the back. A customary way for Oerban men to wear their hair. It was on his face too, along his jawline and framing his mouth in hefty mutton chops. He had hair everywhere, some of his friends at the shop calling him "Wooly" on occasion. And Tavisen's face was lined with age though was still full of life, his steely blue eyes vibrant and sharp. I dare say he didn't look but half his age.

Fang waited patiently at the sufficient dining table, lounging in the chair with ankles crossed like she lived here. her father came back from the kitchen with the promised brewski, and she wasted no time in popping the top off and taking one big swig of it. Damn that felt good. Cold, like the gods intended. Made you feel like kicking your shoes off and staying a while. Which she did.

Tavisen sat across from her, propping his elbows on the table with his already opened beer in one hand. A lit cigar smoldered in the ashtray beside his arm. "Ya got so tall." he laughed.

"I'm all leg, just like you." Fang smiled.

"It don't hurt that ya took after my impeccable sense o' style, too,"

"Well, what can I say?" she chuckled softly. Apparently denim and flannel, like beer and cigars, was hereditary. "Why mess with a good thing, right?"

He nodded, taking another sip. Then he took a breath, deep, letting it out slowly. "So you're a L'Cie?"

Fang nodded in the middle of taking a drink. "An' you knew?"

"Yeah. Lots of us suspected it for a while...'specially after that accident. You remember?"

"How could I forget?" her brow quirked, lowering momentarily.

"Victor's kid was messed up real bad," Tavisen thought back, the distance of his thoughts in his eyes. "Thought he wasn't gonna make through the night."

Fang nodded again, the memories coming back with no real rush. She was maybe fifteen at the time it happened. Faulty gas main blew its top, could have seen the explosion from almost any corner of the reservation. Sure as hell heard it. There were a few casualties of the blast, one of them being a boy who was just a year or so younger than Fang. She remembered her dad jerking her out of bed that morning and getting dressed in record time to hop in the truck with him. The reservation hospital didn't have ambulances, so it was up to anyone with a vehicle to do the job.

Well, to be more accurate, the reservation hospital didn't have much of anything. To the point where anyone willing to give blood, regardless of age, was welcomed without an argument.

At the time, Fang had already noticed some odd things, weird goings on concerning herself, but had been writing them off as just part of growing up. She'd had allergies until she was thirteen, then they suddenly stopped even as the height of Spring rolled through with all its blossoms and plant jizz going around. Did even make her sneeze. That was explainable. People can grow out of allergies, right? And she just didn't get sick anymore, when once or twice a year was the norm. Though most noticeable, and least explainable was her lack of typical menstruation. What happened there? It happened once, then nothing.

In any case, that hadn't stopped Fang from offering a vein to the victims of the blast. She had no idea that her blood type was already changing.

"Turns out he was a L'Cie." Tavisen said.

Fang didn't comment, though she had a feeling. It was the only way it could have worked, the only way rejection wouldn't have killed the boy. Then again, wouldn't they had checked for that? Well, not with the outdated machines they had available. It went right under their noses.

"But why'd ya leave? Was it somethin' I did? All that mess with ya mum?"

Fang's mother, Rosa, had just up and skipped town when she was maybe fourteen. No fuck you, no thanks for all the fish. Just gone.

Fang scowled, taking another drink as she tried to find the words. That wasn't it. "I was afraid." simple as that. "Ya always hear about kids comin' out as L'Cie and their parents tossin' 'em out...or worse."

"Ya honestly thought I'd do somethin' like that?" heartbreak was in his face.

"O'course not. But I was...I thought you'd be ashamed o'me...yer kid bein' a freak."

Tavisen took another deep breath, his hands folding and pressing against his mouth. His bushy brow grew thick over his eyes, his features darkening. Silence stretched on for several minutes. Fang could barely stand it.

"That wouldn't be very fair of me." He said at last, voice rumbling. Then his eyes settled on his daughter. "Seein' as I'm a freak too." Though he cracked a smile when he saw her face, her features stretched with surprise. "What? Ya honestly think I'd look this good after twenty years? After all the worryin' I did over ya?"

Fang couldn't find the words, though he was right. Then again, daughters don't think of what their fathers should look like, only what they remember.

"An' by the looks of it, you don't age so fast y'self. You're what...thirty-somethin' now?"

"Thirty-six."

"Thought so, an' here ya hardly look more than twenty." a little laugh. "Startin' t'think ya take more after me than I thought."

Her eyes were set wide, not blink for more than a minute, and she just had no words. Tavisen looked in his fifties, maybe late forties if you were to be generous. How old could he possibly be? Over a hundred? More?

Tavisen finished his beer and stood to get another, though came back with two more seeing as Fang's was nearly gone and he assumed she'd be wanting a second round as well.

"But," he started again as he sat down, picking up his cigar. "Iffin' it wasn't that tippin' me off, it was what came later that made it pretty clear."

"Wassat? Later?"

"Yeah. Suits started hangin' around...a couple years after ya took off." he puffed his cigar for a moment, tendrils of smoke coming out his nostrils. "Didn't recognize 'em...an' y'know I recognize all those government types that come round these parts."

It wasn't unusual for government agents to come to the reservation, just to have a look around, make sure everything was the way it should be. And Tavisen, as he said, knew them all. Knew their faces, their scents, names and so on. He didn't know these guys, and they seemed to do little more than stare at first. Just pick out people and stare.

"Then they started askin' questions. Askin' 'bout me an' if I'd seen ya. Needless t'say I didn't care too much for 'em. But they had t'be supposin' the same as everyone else to be havin' questions like that."

"Any idea who they were?"

"One of 'em left me a card...kept it on a hunch." he reached back into his pocket, for his billfold, and sifted through it to eventually place the business card on the table. He slid it to her. "An' they just came and went for a while after that...stopped altogether a couple months ago."

Fang eyed the slip of paper before picking it up, almost cautious of it. She pinched it between her thumb and index finger, studied it. It had the name and extension for a Dr. Abraham Cornelius of the Public Security and Intelligence Command. Research and Development division.

"Sounded military," Tavisen added with a grunt. "I don't mix well with those types."

"Neither do I...apparently." Fang said quietly. She felt her guts sink as she set the card back down. She started to rub her hands together under the table, fingers running over the terminals between her knuckles.

Tavisen saw the change in her, her expression, her posture. "What's wrong, hon?"

"The suits...they caught up t'me." she sighed, hands still hidden beneath the table. "Took 'em this long...but gods know I tried hidin'. Always movin'...never stayin' too long, never gettin' attached. They still found me."

He just looked at her, jaw hanging slightly, cigar just shy of his mouth.

"Dunno how...dunno who...an' for their sake I hope I never find out." Because she knew what she would do. She'd pay them back in kind.

"What happened, darlin'?"

Fang felt herself tense, her whole body tightening as she raised her hands and laid them on top of the table. Immediately she could feel her father's eyes, he could see the terminals shimmer in the light. She watched his expression change, his eyes narrow as she flexed her hands into fists.

_Snikt_.

The sound made the older Oerban flinch. And at first he said nothing, just stared, his brows reaching for his hairline.

"They hurt me, Dad." she had to force the words, her throat having suddenly tightened. "Turned me inside-out...made me somethin' I don't know how ta be."

Still nothing to say. How do you respond to that?

"An' I'm scared." And that was easily the dirtiest secret of all. She was afraid. Not of humes, not of PSICOM, not even of Caius Ballad. She was afraid of herself, of the animal, of the changes running rampant through her that she couldn't understand and being helpless to the whim of her genetics. "I guess that's what brought me back." she admitted. "This is...it's home, I'm safe here." then she met her father's eyes. "But...they're still lookin' for me. No doubt they'll be sniffin' around here soon."

"You're stayin'." Tavisen grunted, putting out the cigar before it burned down to his fingers. he wasn't giving it due attention anyhow. "As long as ya have to."

"Dad," she smiled a little, though still seemed bothered, "I don't want to put you at risk."

"An' I don't care." he shook his head, face firming. Then he took her hand, more like the wrist, and held it tight. "Bein' a parent means standin' up f'you. The way I see it I got twenty years o' standin' t'make up for. So you're gonna stay put, and I'm gonna do whatever I can to help ya. Got that?"

Fang was stunned, it was all over her face. But the expression softened to relief, hints of quiet joy in it, and she retracted the claws as she gripped her father's hand. "A'right. Have it your way."

_(II)_

It had been days since Fang had left Muir Island and it was the only thing she could think about. The evening training sessions with the team were next to impossible due to her inability to focus. And that wasn't the worst of it.

If the distraction of her thoughts wasn't enough, there were physical issues as well. She could hardly stand for anyone to put a hand on her. It was painful, particularly if a man touched her. Like a hot spasm in her skin that would ache for several minutes. Naturally she told Moira about it as soon as she was able, but the geneticist had no treatment. They both came to the same conclusion as to its cause, however. The heat was subsiding, but not before it ran its full course, and it appeared that sensitive skin was one of the symptoms. The theory was supported as it began to subside as the days dragged on and Light got her period. Then it was gone completely.

That didn't make it less unnerving an experience, and it certainly did nothing to quiet her thoughts.

_"You took my choice away...you used me."_

The words bounced between her ears, whispers that made her heart clench. She had never meant for it to be like that. She just wanted to help. And then there was a streak of indignation. How had what she'd done come across that way? How had it been any different than when Fang had first...

Lightning shivered. That first time was...indescribable.

Still, what was the difference? Why didn't Light feel used? Then she thought again; she had never said no, never asked Fang to stop. She had accepted it, embraced it even. She wanted to show Fang she wasn't afraid, that she...

Light shook her head hard, pressing back into the mattress as she laid there and stared at the ceiling. _Don't be stupid._ She scolded herself mentally, taking a deep breath and scowling. _You can bet she hates you now, so don't even think it. Just consider yourself lucky if she comes back at all._

Lightning knew she had broken an unspoken trust, a silent promise to respect Fang as another sentient being in spite of how nature made her different. She had compromised that, and all to get her rocks off. Etro's grace, how could she have been so damn careless? Even though she meant well?

Guess that didn't count for as much as she hoped.

_"Fuckin' hume."_

Those words were still so biting, so sharp. Thinking them through, Light had found the pain in Fang's voice, playing it back in her mind over and over. As if the L'Cie hadn't really wanted to say them, but didn't know how to otherwise quantify her feelings. But it was sufficient, Light knew what she was trying to express. It was just a short, to-the-point way of saying "you're just like the rest of them, you're no different and you're certainly no better". The whole of the species' guilt fell on her.

Lightning had never meant any harm. Though it would seem she had done her fair share.

She took another breath, trying to rationalize everything. Trying to make it make sense.

_It's not your fault. All you did was try to show her a good time. It's not like you put the claws in her yourself, not like you laced her up with wires and made her kill. It's this heat, she's not thinking clearly. Once it passes she'll be back. You can talk it out. No need to feel guilty. Don't get so emotional just because she was your first fling._

Maybe that's all it was. The reaction of the serum mixed with the sentimentality of Fang being the first one to get in her pants was making her overreact. And seeing as Lightning had never overreacted to anything _ever_, it was easy to think the situation had just gotten away from her. Yeah, that made sense.

But why did she still feel like the scum of the earth?

Light sat up, twisting to put her feet on the floor and to prop her elbows on her thighs. She raked her scalp once, twice, almost four times in total with gently scratching fingers. Then she spied the digital clock on her nightstand. It was just after one in the afternoon, but felt _so_ much later. her stomach growled, and she looked down at her gut in frustration. Noisy damn thing. Though maybe a break from all this brooding would do some good. Light stood up, stretching, some joints popping as she left her dorm and made her way to the commissary.

She was only half thinking as she shuffled through the length of the line, tray in hand and patient. After having allotted herself a fair choice of fruit, a pretzel roll (because who doesn't love those), some steamed vegetables, and then waited but a moment for the main course as the person in front of her was served and went on their way. Three or four hefty slices of what looked to be roast beef. Smothered in a rich brown gravy. She accepted it without a word and shuffled to the drink line, only then looking down and sighing.

"Once," Light hummed, "just _once_ I'd like to go one meal without gravy on my plate."

"Don't let Gadot hear you say that, he'll cry."

Light twisted to look over her shoulder, seeing Lebreau with a slight smirk. "Oh, hey."

Lebreau tipped her chin in greeting. "I'm serious. He will."

"Awful sensitive for a guy that size."

The L'Cie chuckled. "Yeah, but that's one of his best qualities. You feeling any better?"

"Hm?" Light mad a curious face.

"You've just seemed off lately."

"Oh, yeah," she grabbed a can of soda and stepped aside, Lebreau following suit. "Guess I'm getting over it." though she felt a certain bitterness in her over the statement. As if it wasn't entirely true but she had to say it like that anyhow.

"What was going on? If you don't mind my asking,"

"No, it's not a big deal." the two started walking, likely towards a pair of empty chairs. "You remember that serum Moira was giving me?"

"Yeah, for your asthma."

"Well, it had some unexpected...side affects."

"Like what?"

She sighed again. "Better have a seat."

Lightning would go over the most simplified version in regaling the course of events that led up to her having such a major case of the blahs. And Lebreau sat quietly, listening as she ate bits and pieces at a time. Her brow would quirk occasionally, whenever Lightning needed a moment to find the proper -that is, most vague- words. Last thing she wanted to be talking about in any detail was how Fang had...and how she...with her tongue...oh good gods.

"To say the least...things are complicated." Light cleared her throat.

"Sounds like it." a curt chuckle. "Wish you'd have come out and said something. We've been pretty worried."

One rosy brow raised.

"Hey, you may be a hume, but you're one of us too. We care."

"I appreciate it...though I can't say feelings are my strong point. Same goes for sharing."

"I'd gathered. Still, just so you know, if you need someone to talk to,"

"Thanks." Light felt a pang of humility.

"Besides, we fags gotta stick together."

And then she almost choked. Thankfully Serah had appeared to pat her on the back, seeing as Lebreau was just a bit too busy laughing.

"Chew, _then_ swallow, sis." Serah chided. "Oh nothing, mom, just reminding your eldest that digestion begins in the mouth." the younger Farron had her cell phone to her ear.

"Mom?" Light managed after getting the fit under control. "How did she get that number?"

"Maybe I gave it to her?" Sarcasm seeped around the words. "What's that? Oh yeah, Light's here...what is she doing?" Serah looked uncertain for a brief moment, like a lie was failing. "She's part of the security detail for the conference...no, mom, it isn't dangerous. Just a precaution. You want to talk to her? Okay, here she is," and she passed it off, promptly sliding away once she was free of it to snag something to eat.

"Hello?"

_"Hi, sweet heart, how are you?"_

"Fine. You?"

_"Wonderful. Are you enjoying your new job?"_

"As much as anyone can, I suppose. Just calling to say hello?"

_"Yes and no. I was actually wondering if you and Serah might be able to visit soon. I'm all settled into the new house."_

Lightning had to think for a moment, remembering. "Where is it?"

_"It's a gated community sort of thing that's owned by the cruise line I work for. It's so swanky,"_ a satisfied laugh carried over the line. _"Its got a pool."_

"Sounds nice."

_"It _is_, and it's always so sunny. You could even bring your...lady friend if you wanted."_

Light took a deep breath. "Thanks, mom, but you don't need to worry about that. She's..." she paused to find the right description, "off doing her own thing at the moment. Don't know when she'll be back."

_"Oh...problems already?"_

"Not really...let's not talk about that. Still...I don't see why we couldn't visit...after the conference is over."

_"Of course, of course. I wasn't expecting you to take off just because I asked. Just think it over and get back with me when you two work it out, okay?"_

"Sure, mom, we'll do that."

_"Okay, sweetheart, have a good day."_

"Thanks, mom, love you."

_"Love you too, Claire. Tell Serah I love her."_

"I will, bye mom." and then she hung up, just as Serah sat down. She slid the cell towards her sister and went back to her own meal.

"Mom asked you about visiting?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna?"

"Sure. Been on this island for a month or so...some time away might be good for us."

"That's what I was thinking. How about we head out Friday morning?"

"Sounds good."

Though, I would imagine, that no day would have sounded very good had they been aware of the situation on the far side of the conversation. Had they been able to see the absolute terror in Rachel Farron's eyes as she looked across the table at a brutish, cat-faced man who smirked with tusks unveiled and with the tips of his talons drumming on the table. But as terrified as she was, she could do nothing. Yeul had such a tight, total grip on her, she could only do as the telepath encouraged, invisible and almost tender hands deep in her mind. Now privy to her thoughts, emotions, fears, her entire life. With that information it was more than easy for Nine to manipulate Rachel, pull off the perfect deception, and soon she and Twelve would have what they needed walking right through that front door.

Although, much to Light's credit, she wasn't stupid. She knew PSICOM was still a very clear and present danger. Like usual she had a "just in case" checklist in her head, going over every item at least twice before she felt comfortable enough to set foot out of the research center that Friday morning.

Cell phone, check. Nine millimeter, check. Boot knife, check. Little sister, check. That should do...it was just a weekend, right?

Mr. Katzroy was kind enough to fly them to Nautilus, mostly so as not to raise suspicion should the sisters suddenly appear there with Alyssa on their arms. From the airport they got a taxi to their mother's address, 2161 Sola Drive. About fifteen minutes down the road. It was only half passed noon when they arrived.

Nothing seemed off when Rachel greeted her daughters at the door, nothing odd about her tone of voice or expression or manner. It was just another day in the neighborhood as she showed them in and told them they could set their stuff anywhere. Then she showed them around the house, not that there was much to see as it was roughly the same size -if not a hint smaller- than her previous home.

"And with Nautilus being on the equator, it's like summer almost the entire year," Rachel bragged as the three of them eased into the dinning room and up to the large sliding glass door. "Always perfect pool weather."

Serah seemed to swoon a little. "I'm _so_ getting in that later."

"I could even invite the neighbors over! It'll be fun, and I think their son is single."

"Mom, Light's gay, remember?"

"Claire wasn't who I had in mind, sweetie."

Light had to snicker as her younger sibling scowled at their mother. "Besides, this is _our_ weekend, no neighbors."

"Good point." Rachel nodded. "In any case, why don't you two get settled while I throw together some lunch?"

"I wanna help," Serah volunteered.

"I'll get the bags." Light didn't mind the grunt work, she wasn't much of a cook anyway.

"Guest room's on the right, hon."

With a nod she stepped back into the living room and managed what few bags they brought onto one arm, carrying them to the adjacent hallway. She took her sweet time, sensing no hurry or need for urgency. Though she had a funny feeling...it was probably nothing. Just the usual paranoia that goes with knowing folks like PSICOM were out head hunting. Though it was a feeling that had always served her well, so well that she refused to let it go completely. Even now.

Good thing.

The habit allowed her to pick up on the sudden quiet that crept through the house. There should have been _something_ making noise, shuffling feet, idle chatter from the kitchen, maybe even the faucet running or the open-shut of the refrigerator. Not a peep, nothing. Something wasn't...couldn't be right about that. Though she went about her original task as if she hadn't noticed, hunching slightly over her duffel to unzip and sift through it for some clothes to lounge in. You know, just in case it was just her trying to be suspicious of something that wasn't there. It had happened before.

But the silence persisted, and it roused a gentle worry. Without appearing to stray from her current occupation she pulled up the front of her shirt, her nine millimeter resting comfortably behind the button of her jeans in a waist holster she had turned sideways. Just an odd habit she had whenever she was armed in civilian clothing. With a flick of her thumb the safety came off, though only the most careful eye would've caught the stray movement as something not so stray. Like the keen eyes of that hulking shape that crept across the threshold and into the room without so much as a breath to be heard. One...two...three careful strides.

Sneaking up on people would get him shot...hadn't he been warned of that before?

Oh yes.

It was a blur of movement, every muscle twitching as Light gripped the pistol and pulled it free, twisting around and leveling the weapon on the largest shape her mind first comprehended. Without another thought she opened fire, three times a ballistic blast split the air coupled with a flash of light. There was a snarl, the shape of Caius Ballad recoiling, falling backwards into the open door with his paws at his chest. Light pushed passed him, running, heart in her throat as she strode down the short corridor. She called out to her mother and sister, screaming for them to get out, only to come into the living room at just the right moment to see Serah flung across the room and into the front door with a resounding _THWACK_. It left a little reddish spatter in the middle of the door.

There was Yeul, standing oh so still in between the dinning room and living room, her eyes shifting from the younger Farron to the older. Her gaze was cool, focused, _piercing_. Like someone who knew they had won.

No time to dwell on it, Caius was moving again. Gods, he healed so _fast_!

Light turned to the sound of the L'Cie's heavy footfalls and opened fire again, maybe landing two more shots before ducking low and away towards the kitchen. Hot hell on her heels, Caius followed suit. She twisted away from him again as he bore down on her, jumping to slide across the dinning table. Just as denim hit varnish Caius snatched a knife from the block on the counter and hurled it with an expertise that would seem unheard of. But it must not have been as good as all that considering her just missed the hume by a rosy hair. You could find said hair on the floor seeing as it was cut away.

Her backside hit the floor, only slightly jarring, but was immediately moving again. She still had four shots left. At least. Before she could even level the sights and squeeze the trigger, she felt that cold slap of the telepath's touch, though this time it was with all the force of a speeding car. It put her head-first through the sliding glass door.

For a split second it was like she was separated from her body, consciousness ejected, but then it snapped right back as the back of her head collided with glass and the sound of it shattering split her ears. Shards cut into her scalp, shoulders, over the length of her back as she went through the pane and rolled across concrete to an uneasy stop. Light could feel blood running down her face as she managed onto her hands and knees, warm rivulets that she spat out as they dripped across her lips. She struggled to focus her blurred vision, hands palming the pavement for her pistol. She could hear Caius coming, his footsteps heavy though casual, almost stalking in his pace. Light could feel a blossom of panic; she couldn't find the gun...but she still had the knife in her boot.

Caius clapped his huge paw around the back of her neck, gripping tight and pulling upward. Like scruffing an unruly pet. And like an unruly pet Lightning refused to be still. She thrashed and jerked about in his grip, fighting much to the L'Cie's amusement. He never would have expected the former commander to have been so damn feisty. It was almost fun. Well, certainly more fun than tussling with that cowering runt.

Lightning could feel the tips of his talons in her neck, pinpricks of red welling beneath them. Using both her hands she tried pry his fingers apart, but no dice. She couldn't move her head, could barely see as his grip pushed blood into her head and reddened her face. Blindly she kicked her legs, trying to focus through the billowing fear. She fought to focus, forcing her thoughts in line knowing she was done for if she didn't. With the tip of one boot she searched for the handle of the knife in the other. Finding the firm resistance she pushed downward, forcing the blade through its sheath to expose the blade. Light then mustered all the strength she could, her entire form twisting as she threw her leg back and prayed she hit him.

A sputter, a gargling snarl and his grip released. The hume hit the pavement again, moving to pull the knife free and grip it tight in her hand as she started sprinting away from the L'Cie. She'd caught him in the throat, blood spilling down his front and between his fingers as he struggled to breathe. She paused but a second to retrieve her gun among the shimmering slivers of glass.

Lightning dashed back into the house, finding her mother on the floor and propped against the refrigerator. Putting the blade between her teeth she reached down and took Rachel's arm, draping it across her shoulders. She was unconscious, though there didn't appear to be a mark on her. Serah was still laying near the front door, but showed signs of life in sluggish turns of her head.

"Come on, we gotta go," Light panted as she knelt beside her sibling.

"Caius...I saw 'em," she muttered, eyes fluttering.

Light took her arm much like she had her mother's and pulled her up. It was just as she settled her weight onto her other shoulder that she felt her mother begin to move.

Rachel Farron was not naturally very strong, Lightning knew this for fact, so you could imagine her surprise as her mother's arms circled her waist and just squeezed. And they held tight, powerful. Before Lightning could really process what was happening, Serah had fallen against her, gripping her sister about the shoulders like her life depended on it. Fighting against them proved fruitless when she tried. Panic flared, what the hell was going on?!

The telepath.

Lightning looked up and saw Yeul, whom she had temporarily forgotten all about, looking right back at her with a subtle grin. The L'Cie had total control of her family and now used them against her as the only threat she wouldn't repulse with lethal force. Slick, but but not entirely fool proof.

Lightning still had the nine millimeter, twisting against her mother's hold to free one arm and raise the weapon. She had every intent to level the sights and pull the trigger, but found herself hesitating.

_She's just a kid. Don't do this, she's just a kid!_

Her heart wrenched, the pain twisting her bloodied features. Her hand shook, the weapon suddenly unsteady.

_Just do it, you'll all die if you don't! Shoot! SHOOT!_

Her rational mind won that argument, and with a shout of resistance she forced her hand to steady and pulled the trigger.

But there was no scream, no spatter of blood as lead it flesh. Though don't mistake me, it went right through the young L'Cie, would've blown her chest right out in a red mist. That is, if she had really been there. The bullet passed right through a mist given human form, Yeul's appearance shimmering and shifting like the ripples on a still pond. For a brief second she wasn't even there, but then rematerialized. In the resulting shock of witnessing this anomaly, Caius was able to come upon the hume, once again unnoticed. One hard swipe of his great paw put Lightning to the floor, her cheek laid wide open in a trio of deep gashes.

For a moment Caius looked down on the pile of humes at his feet, a snort of air leaving his flared nostrils. Then he turned his head to Yeul.

"Are you all right?"

"Of course. You?"

He touched his throat, passive, and glanced to see all the holes in his shirt. He lost more shirts this way. "Well enough. Now come along, we've a bit of traveling to do."

"We're taking all of them, aren't we?"

"Not necessary." he grumbled, pushing the other two Farrons aside with his foot. "We have just the one we need. Besides," he smirked a little, "someone will have to alert the runt, won't they?"

Yeul nodded.

Caius was banking on his suspicion that the younger sister was connected to NORA somehow, at the very least knew how to contact them. If that was indeed the case, it would only be a matter of hours before his sudden intrusion became of their immediate concern. The brute knelt down to collect his bait, but found himself pausing, his bushy brows knitting together in middle. He snatched the hume by the collar, lifting her up that he might have a closer look at the severe wounds he'd left on her face. It appeared...yes, they were beginning to heal.

"My, my," he purred, "this is unexpected." and he smiled again, wider. This was something he most certainly was _not _counting, but certainly something he could use to his advantage. Already his mind was spinning again, formulating an almost entirely new strategy. Oh yes, he'd catch the runt for sure, now that he knew exactly what he had.

Caius straightened, Lightning now folded over his shoulder. He and Yeul left the residence as it was, knowing a PISCOM transport was now waiting for them just outside. It was mere seconds after the vehicle started down the road, everyone strapped in for the long haul, that Caius felt his cell phone buzzing. With no real rush he answered it, brow slightly low with irritation as he did so.

"Oh really?" he mused after a moment. "Where...I see...very well, arrange transportation for me." and then hung up, needing to hear nothing else.

Everything was going so well. Finally.

Author's Note: Again, forgive the tardiness, as it is never intentional. I came home from work last night with every intention to finish this chapter, but then my bed had other ideas. So yeah. Hope it was worth the wait. I can honestly say, now, that there might be two or three chapter left at the most. I'm hoping to have the epic Caius vs. Fang next chapter followed by a short epilogue. At least that's the plan. My muse likes to thwart those every chance she gets, so we'll just have to wait and see. Also, still taking questions for my Ask the Author vid. Should I not get any, I'm likely to just elaborate on previous questions as well as give a few tips and tricks on writing AUs, and fanfics in general. Hope to see you there, and thanks for all the patience and support.


	21. Chapter 20

**XIII**

**Chapter Twenty**

_It's dark. Middle o' the night maybe. Look up and see stars. Standin' out here on dad's porch, arms crossed and the wind in my face. The air's warm somehow, dry...that can't be right. It's mid-winter. A scent's on that wind, somethin' I should know. It stings a bit in my nose, just a bit, like smoke or ozone. No...that ain't right either. I know that scent._

Of course she does, had been doused in it since the day she was born. Dreamed about it for weeks now.

_Blood. Can't be anythin' else. Thick...heavy like a hot stink. An' it ain't no animal, either. Somebody just bought it. A scream's cuttin' the air now, shattering like a bolt of light._

_ Light._

_ Lightning._

_ Gods...Lightning._

_ Now I'm fulla horror, runnin' into the dark, somehow knowin' I'm missin' all the gopher holes in these wastes full of 'em. Pushin', pushin', gainin' no ground. Like my feet are putty. There's that scream, an' I know who's screamin'._

Her mind knew, as one's mind always does. Didn't matter if it was true.

_I'm comin' darlin', I'm comin', just hold on. The wastes are stretchin' for miles in front of me, on and on and only goin' further away. But that screamin' is still with me, sharp like shards of glass on my eardrums. Can't breathe fast enough, or run fast enough though my legs are stretchin'. Can't stop now, gotta keep pushin', gotta make the screamin' stop 'fore it drives me nuts. It just keeps ringin'!_

_ I see it, a big black shape in the wastes under the moon. Its writhin', snarlin' and smackin' its lips, smoothin' 'em over with its tongue. Its all twisted up. It's got its big black paws around somethin'...someone. I'm comin', darlin!_

_ It lunges at me, turns real sharp and flashes fangs and angry green eyes. _

_ Green eyes...my eyes. Good gods above, it's not me! It can't be me! _

_ I shy, but it runs me down, swallows me, wraps me up in the dark. Its claws are in me, pullin' my veins, rippin' me up! A white hot streak of pain and then it's gone. I'm back in the waste, back under the moon. The screamin' stopped and I feel so alone. But I ain't, lookin' down at my feet I see her lyin' there. All ripped up and bloodied. Naked._

_ Those blue eyes fallin' on me like a two-ton terror, fillin' me up, cold and stabbin'._

_ "The secret's out."_

_ What secret, darlin'? I gotta know. I kneel down, try to hold ya, but ya won't let me. Ya turn to dust in my fingers. Scattered in the wind. Now everythin's changin', the worlds metlin' away and becomin' somethin' else. Now I'm feelin' boxed in...air's goin' still... a sterile stink to it. Surrounded by steel walls and blinkin' lights, gotta a bad feelin' I've been here before. Steel's painted red with light. Ghost blood. I'm not turning so much as the room is, swingin' round in circles, makin' me sick to my stomach. And it doesn't get better when it stops. My guts bottom out. There you are, darlin', shot through with wires and tubes, floatin' like you're dead._

_ Gods...was that what it was like? Did I look dead too? Did I thrash and twist like that? The respirator blocks most of your face, but I see your pain. Pain I caused..._

_ "The secret's out, it's all your fault. You infected me."_

_I didn't mean it, I didn't mean it, I swear! _

_ I feel the claws comin' out, a sharp pain that radiates up into my shoulders. Gotta break that glass, I'll cut ya loose, darlin'._

_ But my claws are like twigs, fractured and feeble as they splinter and fall away. I can't do a god damn thing._

_ There's that screamin' again, ringin', stingin' like mad. Makin' my brain burn. And the stink of blood, so much of it. It's yours, darlin'. I know it, it's been on my tongue, so I know. The room spins, the redness fades away to white, or gray maybe, that haze in a dark room from a single, too-bright light._

_ That black shape, all talons and fangs, it's back. Perched on one of them fancy metal tables, hoverin' like it's curious. And there you are again, darlin', still sufferin'. You can't move but ya try, arms and legs strapped down tight. But your insides are on the outside an' that beast is pickin' at 'em. Then it looks at me, sees me with _my_ eyes._

_ "Come an' see," it growls real low, almost lovin'. "Come an' see."_

_ No, no, no, I don't wanna. Don't make me._

_ "Come an' see,"_

_ Stop usin' my voice. I ain't you, I _can't_ be you._

_ "Come an' see!" now it's roarin'. Lookin' more and more like me with every second. "Come an' see WHAT YOU DID!"_

Tavisen would jackknife out of his bed, sheets twisting about his legs with a threat to trip him in his hurry. With a jerk of his hand they collapsed to the floor as he turned down the hall. Such a commotion! Had to be if it could rip him out of a dead sleep like that. Sounded like a rabbit squealing in its last moments followed by a horrible crash. His first instinct was to duck into his daughter's room, make sure she was all right. She was, well, in a sense.

He focused on Fang just as he switched on the light, his eyes quick to adjust. Naked, sweat shimmering on her skin from head to toe, droplets of it fell from the cutting edges of her bent elbows and chin. Fang's back was to him, hunched in a savage bow, muscles raised in tense relief, heaving with heavy and frantic breaths. There were whimpers hidden in the sounds. She shivered, hands shaking and allowing the light to catch on her unsheathed claws, and allowing her father his first glimpse of the numerical tattoo on her arm. Tavisen would look up just a bit to see the disaster; the closet door and the corner nearest to it were devastated, slashed to pieces with chunks and slivers on the floor. Then he glanced to the bed. Sheets all twisted up, blankets on the floor, and a darkened space where Fang had once been lying, sweat soaked.

Another nightmare, he thought as his heart wrenched. But this one was bad. He'd been listening all week to her tossing and turning, muttering in her deep sleep over things he wasn't sure he wanted to understand. All she said when he had asked about them was "about what happened." The only explanation he would ever get. Still, couldn't have been good, as he would often check on her in the middle of the night, lingering in the doorway with his arms crossed and his head shaking with worry. Needless to say this wasn't like all those nights.

"Baby," he said carefully, keeping his distance yet. "Baby...say somethin',"

For a long moment Fang didn't seem to realize he was even there, maybe the ringing in her ears was just too loud, or the roar of blood pumping through her. Then her whole form shivered as she took a deep, deep breath, straightening a little, and let it out with a pitiful sob. One knee buckled, her body jerking to the side as it hit the floor, and then the other. Her face fell into her palms, claws now shimmering among wolfish tangles.

Tavisen moved slowly, kneeling down and picking up the discarded blanket. Opening it between his hands he stepped closer, bit by bit. Bending to his knees he eased forward, arms closing about her. She lurched against him with a grinding grunt, pushing back and putting him on his rump with the force. He tightened his grip.

"Now, now, ease up, it's just me," he tried, "be still." And he held on, a hand locked on his wrist, pulling her against his chest. He could feel the hard muscles in her back and shoulders resisting, but they shook. Not much fight in them. "Be still, don't wanna hurt y'self."

Fang pushed again, heels slipping over low pile carpet, no traction. Then the resistance caved, the claws retracted with a quick _snackt_, and she shuddered with the first of a long onslaught of gut deep sobs. Tears started down her face. She wept.

Tavisen felt his heart wrenching again, harder now. His eyes began to burn. "Oh darlin'," he paused to swallow. "S'all right." One rough, calloused hand smoothed her hair, touching hers. "I'm here now."

Fang's mind was burning with thoughts, horrible snarls of bitterness. Where were you then? Why didn't you stop them from hurting me? Do you have any idea how much pain... but as quickly as they coursed they fizzled, died like a star and went quiet. Replaced by the pain that haunted her, that pain she had been shoving down for weeks and weeks, never addressing, never resolving. She never wanted to admit to it, to having been vulnerable and unable to regain control, and to the shame of it. And the fact that there was no one to blame, the fact that she had simply been a victim of chance. Fang Yun was _not_ a victim, yet she had been victimized. Random, tragic. Just too damn bad.

She had never taken the time to accept that, her ego too big to let her. Sometimes you just need to let yourself mourn misfortune, but not her. Not Fang Yun.

But yes. Even Fang Yun.

The bloodletting would last a good while, almost a solid hour, and her father was there to help her through it. "It's all right, darlin," he'd whisper from time to time. "Just let it out." And he would fight his own tears as her form trembled against him, still gently resisting. Although, like the frame-wracking cries, this too would ease, and she would come to lay against his chest without a care, too tired and red eyed. Tavisen would continue to hold her close, his palm still petting, still trying to soothe.

When it seemed like the worst was over, he thought it all right to speak again. "Haven't held ya like this since ya was a wee thing." And he smiled before pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, thinking back to the scrawny girl with messy hair that resembled him far too much.

Fang had shifted, her cheek to his bare chest, soft hair prickling against her face. She closed her eyes and took a slow breath through her nose, taking in his scent. Motor oil...cigars...Old Spice...yup, smelled like home. Comfort washed over her as she exhaled. "Sorry I woke you."

"S'all right. Could ya talk t'me about it?"

Her brow knitted, eyes closing again. "Dunno how to describe it...I'm scared."

"I know, baby," he nodded. "I can smell it on ya...hard on this ol' man's heart. Still...as much as I respect yer right t'have secrets...I can't do anythin' for ya if ya don't tell me what's goin' on."

"Couldn't rightly tell ya what's happenin' m'self." Fang admitted.

"Could ya try?" he encouraged gently.

She was quiet a moment, thinking. Maybe she could. But that would mean telling him a lot of things. All the things she'd been through, done, all the people she had hurt and worse. She would have to tell him about Lightning.

The thought of the now not-so-human hume made her shrug.

With any luck, her bisexuality would come across as big a surprise as her being a L'Cie. She could only hope.

Seemed like this night was only going to get longer.

_(II)_

She had been awake, just for a moment, maybe a minute at most. The sound of an engine, the gentle shake of a vehicle in motion, voices dull and as they moved back and forth. Her lids parted in that short moment, but didn't open fully, and her body moved with very little thought. Sluggish, though strong as she lurched forward, one arm swinging as if to soundly deck someone in the puss. It hit something, the knuckles tensing against the sting of impact. But a moment later she was down again, on her stomach with the sensation of the whole world just rolling over and settling in the middle of her back. Then what little she was aware of faded, went dark.

The next thing Lightning would grasp was the slight pain in her cheek as her head laid against a hard surface, skin stuck to what felt like varnish. She slowly straightened, feeling her stiff back protesting, as well as her shoulders, wedged tight from having her hands restrained behind her. Wasn't handcuffs, she'd figured out after a testing twist of her wrists. Nope, no such luck, she could have gotten out of those. Felt tight like zip-ties. Gods damn it. She tried to stretch in the chair she was sitting in, legs out in front under the table. It was quiet and she was alone. At least it seemed that way.

Voices again, from the next room, though upon a closer listen she found it to just be one. One she simply didn't like the sound of. She leaned back, slowly, carefully against the back of the chair, craning her neck just so to look through the opening into the next room. And there he was, the big cat himself with a cell phone uncomfortably to his ear. He looked to be sifting through a briefcase, but one of those hard shelled, metallic looking ones with insides padded with foam. It sounded like he was having to assure and reassure whoever was on the other end that he would send it out as soon as possible, firm lines forming around his felid eyes in irritation. Lightning settled back just as she saw him take the device from his ear and slam the briefcase shut. His heavy footsteps went pounding through the floors.

Lightning didn't see him but felt his presence enter the room, felt him move around the table to sit in front of her, clawed hands folding to rest in front of him.

"Afternoon." his voice had a natural roughness to it.

She said nothing, her eyes low, unconsciously focusing on his huge, hard hewn hands.

A small smirk turned his mouth. Why did they always try the silent treatment? "In case you were curious, you're family is safe. At least I believe so. Surely your NORA friends have reached them by now."

Still no reaction, though her heart clenched in worry. She prayed Serah and her mother were all right. Maybe, just maybe they others reached them.

"How long had you been working with them? I'm curious." he waited, still without an answer. "Was it before or after you came to Aggra? I'm going to assume before..."

And though he was right, down to the letter, she wouldn't say so or even make a gesture that remotely resembled an answer.

"Yeul tells me you knew the runt before then," he tilted his head, searching for something, anything, or perhaps just expressing an inquiry. "Is that why you infiltrated us? You felt sorry for her?" a puff of air. "You must think yourself so righteous."

Goodness, the commander was resilient. So stiff, so quiet. He couldn't even smell a reaction, couldn't hear a quickened heartbeat. He had read her file a time or two, knew she'd had some preliminary training in interrogation during her military service, but he hadn't expected someone so collected. So distant.

"We know where she is." he said casually. "In fact, once I've finished here, I'll be going to meet with her myself."

Tension in her shoulders, that's all the statement caused, and it wasn't even sudden. Slow, creeping, her thinking it unnoticed. But Caius noticed.

"It's nothing personal," that smirk twisted tighter, revealing a hint of a long tooth. "I'm just following orders. You understand, I'm sure. I just want what's due me."

Though, for a split second, she had to wonder what that might have been. What did he have coming to him that was worth all this trouble? Did he want to have that procedure done on him so badly?

"When you're as old as I am you don't ask for much. Maybe if you live that long you'll come to know what I mean. Speaking of which," he adjusted in his seat, leaning forward to put his weight on his thick elbows, claws pointing into the table. "I've noticed your scent has changed, in a way I'm rather certain it shouldn't."

What the hell would he know about it?

Quite a lot actually. He was old enough to be, at the very least, her great-_great_-grandfather. PSICOM hadn't even been able to determine his age.

"You're blood...something is drastically different." he nodded slowly, as if coming to the realization in that moment. "The runt's stink is all over you...but then there's something else. And you heal so _quick_ for a hume." his eyes narrowed on her, though she refused to meet them.

More tension, a sharp wave of it this time. Maybe a part of her was convinced that symptom had passed, that the mild mutation had resolved. Yet another part knew it hadn't. Still, she did her best to hide the reaction, hide the anxiety. She did it for the most part, but Caius caught wind of the slight sweat gathering in her palms.

"However, that's not my current concern, more like a curiosity. What _is_ is getting those bones back to my superiors. And you're going to help me."

"Hmph,"

"Ah, so you _are_ listening." he appeared amused. "Good, and here I thought I was being ignored."

"Can't have that." She had yet to look at him directly, but her brow moved up and then down.

A slight chuckle and then he stood, great shoulders bunching as he pushed up, palms on the table. He rounded the table, coming to settle behind her, and his great paws cupped her shoulders. The tips of his claws pressed, threatening gently. And for the moment he simply stood there. Was he listening to the quickening of her heart, now that he was so close? Could he hear the organ pounding against her ribs? Likely, and nothing she could do could stifle the noise. Gods, just do something already...

He shrugged. "Surely you have someone you care about, enough so that you would do anything for them..." he paused, though he wasn't waiting for an answer, and his features had darkened with heavy creases. "If so then you understand what I'm doing. Had I any other choice, we would not be speaking now. But this is my road and I must walk it. As you must walk it with me for a spell."

Caius Ballad cared? Not just cared, but did so for someone other than himself? How was that possible? The L'Cie never showed evidence of having a single give-a-damn bone in his whole body.

"Although, on the bright side, I don't require much of you." his hands lifted, a tightness left behind by his talons. He moved a little behind her, his hands in his pockets. He revealed a single sheet of paper which he unfolded, and a pen which he carefully held in his hands to write. It was a quick selection of scratches, putting ink to paper, and then he set the page in front of the hume.

Lightning didn't look at it, just as she had yet to look at him.

"I wish to give the runt a message. You know, to show my sincerity."

"Fancy that. What the hell do you need for, then?" call it morbid curiosity.

"Your signature."

In a split second she felt his hands at the back of her head, fingers curling into a fist, gripping a handful of her hair before shoving forward and down. All the force he could muster was put behind the motion, her face bouncing hard on the top of the table. Her nose was crushed, blood gushing after an initial splatter of crimson across the page. A short grunt upon impact was the peak of her reaction, after which she could only manage to rock her head back and forth in a sluggish way, wet paper under her cheek. The world spun as she rode out the pain, eyes troublesome to keep open and she had to try and think to breathe. Gods that hurt.

Caius gripped her hair a second time, just long enough to lift her head and retrieve the letter, then simply let her fall back to where she lay. Thump, right on her already tender cheekbone.

"That should do." he seemed satisfied to say. "Though, I must confess, there's still one more thing I need you to do for me. Again, it isn't much." and he popped his knuckles, claws flexing. "Just hold still."

_(III)_

It had been nearly two weeks now since Tavisen opened his front door to find his daughter on his porch. Nearly two weeks that had been full of rough patches and smooth sailing. Mostly smooth, he was thankful to say. The worst had been a few nights back, the dream that had Fang shaken up so. Thinking about it still made the old L'Cie's heart clench. He'd had no idea just how bad it was. But that same night he and his daughter had a long heart-to-heart, and now he understood. As best as anyone who hadn't been there could at least. What Fang had divulged kept him from sleeping well for several days, left him fretting, wracking his brain for some sort of solution, anything that might help her cope. It's what father's do, after all. Worry, that is.

And it wasn't even the whole bisexual thing. He just chalked that up to Mother Nature having a sense of humor.

But that kind of trauma, it wasn't something you could put a band-aid on and forget about. Not a chance in hell. That kind of pain would take years to dissipate, if it did at all. And that doesn't even take into account its impact on her emotionally and mentally. He hated to admit it, but PSICOM had screwed her up _bad_. And it filled him with such a rage. The only thing that made him swallow it down was knowing it wouldn't help her, it wouldn't make anything better, and Tavisen had never been someone to waste his energy on things he couldn't change. Instead he focused it on his thoughts, coming to the conclusion that -if nothing else- maybe he could take the edge off. Make it a little easier for Fang to manage.

That was the driving hope behind him as he tried to rouse his daughter from sleep before sunrise one morning, telling her to get dressed and that they had ground to cover. Naturally she protested, confused and groggy and grumbling as she shuffled about the house in search of her boots. "No, I don't wanna, you can't make me," you know the drill. Somehow she made it to the passenger seat of the jeep, eyes mostly closed. She even got the seat belt on all by herself, though don't get too excited as she was right back to sleep by the time Tavisen had the vehicle backing out of the driveway and pulling onto the road.

They wouldn't leave the reservation. In fact, the only thing they left was asphalt as Tavisen maneuvered the jeep off road. Out into the wastes for several miles, which didn't take as long as you would think. Tavisen knew this terrain too well to lose much time driving it, even in the dark. It would still be dark, though the sky was beginning to brighten with dawn when the vehicle skidded to a halt. The sudden jerk had Fang grumbling again, waking with resistance.

"C'mon, darlin', we still gotta ways t'go."

Eyes wide open but clearly displeased, Fang twisted around in the seat to see her father pulling what looked to be a large backpack out of the back seat. Then a cooler, some fishing rods, all the odds and ends a camper might need. She resumed her initial position and blinked, rubbing her eyes, then looked up. Nothing but mountains for miles ahead, some rounded at the top and speckled with forests, others further back that were peaked and still showing bits of snow. Without knowing it Fang smiled a little, taking a sniff of the air. Seemed to give her a bit more get-up-and-go. She climbed out of the car and took up a fair share of what her father had brought along. Together they started to walk towards the peaks, up a game trail that had been there longer than even Tavisen could remember.

The reservation's property boundaries had been under dispute for decades, the most heated of these being just within the first five years of its inception. The continental government wanted the more fertile regions for its own use, such as the meadows and mountains, but the tribal council protested nearly to the point of open revolt. Those areas were sacred to the Oerban people and a necessity for their culture to continue. Temples and burial grounds had been discovered by federal surveyors shortly after the land had been acquired. And while revolt would've cost the natives everything, would've wiped them out to the last man, they were ready to stand on that risk. The government, at the time, couldn't have withstood that kind of bad press, so they managed to come to a compromise. The government would be allowed several hundred acres, provided they construct an educational facility that was open to the public and maintained the property as would be fitting a national park.

So far the arrangement had been well kept. Which was really saying something.

Though Tavisen and Fang would be keeping their distance from the government controlled area. No need to go there seeing as they had all the rest of it to themselves. And Tavisen knew his way around, knew where they could go and be separated from the world. Which was his plan. Maybe if he got Fang back to this place, reminded her where she came from, it could help. Maybe she would find herself again. Or, at the very least, begin coming to grips with whoever she had become.

_Made me somethin' I dunno how t'be_.

Hearing that tore at his heart, and there was so little he could do. But he still had hope.

Most of the morning the two of them spent walking the trail, their bootprints added to the dozens of animal tracks. Deer, bear, small game like what the natives called Dream Hares. Bipedal rodents that never came out in broad daylight and seemed to move about the twilight like spirits. The only thing known for sure about them was their beady little eyes, pelts that came in any color, and four long ears that shimmered like gossamer feathers in the moonlight. That is, when they were seen. Then, of course, the wolf tracks. They'd roamed these mountains since the beginning. But there was nothing to be afraid of, so long as anyone visiting followed their rules.

Fang always loved the smell of this place. All the different trees, the way the sunlight dappled the trails coming through the leaves. The air was so clean up here, no dust, no fumes of fuel, all those little things only people like her and her dad could pick up on. It was warmer up here than down in the valley, all year, hence the dense growth. No one could really figure out why, it had always been that way. Just one of those weird things. Maybe generosity on the gods part, allowing the Oerbans to always have access to a food source and building materials. One of the main reasons Big Brother tried to boot them down into the valley and snatch up all this property for itself.

It was just before noon when they reached the site Tavisen had in mind. With the snow caps at higher elevations, melts that came and went throughout the year, the lower mountains were full of natural lakes. The largest of which had a temple nestled on its northernmost bank. But that wasn't this one, no this was one of the near hundred or so smaller ones, woods surrounding it like a loving embrace. There were traces on every bank of people have been there, though not the traces you would initially think. No trash, no bottles bobbing in the water, no carvings of peoples' names in the bark of the ancient trees. The little things like charred ground from centuries of fire pits and hiking trails walked bare to the dirt.

"Nice spot ya picked out, dad. What's the occasion?"

"No occasion," Tavisen shook his head, smiling as he set the knapsack down. "Just thought it'd do some good for the two of us t'just...get out I suppose. I mean, last time we went fishin' was..."

"Eighteen years." Fang scratched the back of her neck. Yeah, a while too long. "So...just a father-daughter getaway for fishin' an' drinkin'? Ya did bring the beer, right?"

"What d'ya think I am, a savage?" he chuckled. Beer yes, cigars no. Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ smoked here. Ever, no exceptions. "Once everythin's squared away we'll park it on the bank and get to it."

And they did just that for the next three days. Fishing, drinking, shooting the shit as people having a good time do, and even went swimming in the lake. The weather held well, the woods were quiet, and the beer was cold. Enough to make anyone happy, more than enough for Fang to let go of her trouble for a spell. The comfort seemed to reach its height in the middle of the first night as she slept for thirteen hours straight, gently rocked in a hammock by the breeze with one leg hanging over the side. No shoes, no shirt, her aussie cap covering her bare breasts, and snoring to high heaven. Not deep enough to dream, but just deep enough to rest. Naturally, Tavisen didn't have it in him to bother her.

Aside from reconnecting with her dad and appearing to take a much needed break from her life, Fang found herself with ample time and a noticeable desire to rethink her situation. At least from a personal standpoint, as it was fair to say the PSICOM fandango wasn't going change just because she mulled it over.

Her thoughts went straight to Lightning, as much as she would rather think about the shit her genes were trying to pull these days. Though there wasn't much of a stretch between the two. She looked out over the lake, ignoring the fishing pole that tugged occasionally, considering the hume without much effort. Maybe...maybe she'd been too quick to pass judgment. Confused and angry over what her genetics were doing, she needed someone to point a finger at, someone to take it out on. But, in her own defense, she _had_ told Lightning to stop.

Then again, the hume had done so much for her sake...

Fang grumbled a bit with a shake of her head. Damn the hume. One of the few problems she couldn't ignore long enough for it to go away. Too damn pretty and way too damn stubborn.

Another thing she wasn't too fond of, how her genetics in all their infinite wisdom were somehow drawn to her. It felt like she had no choice. What if she never came to have a deep attachment to Lightning, would she still be stuck with her? Would the hume, the whims of her blood, eventually make her prisoner instead of those that would do the same at PSICOM?

_I wouldn't have picked her...yeah, bedded her, but I wouldn't have stayed. Like all the others._

And then her father's voice pushed its way into her thoughts. _"We don't always pick who Mother Nature pairs us with, and it'll often take us by surprise."_

Fang struggled to find understanding of the philosophy, though she gave an honest effort. Perhaps a small part of her genuinely _wanted_ to be with Lightning, but the L'Cie dismissed it as the animal, that thing she had seen in her nightmare. It had wants and needs too, but rarely did they meet with her own.

It was the serum, another part of her kept saying. It was all due to Moira's meddling. The reaction would never have occurred in the first place if it hadn't been for her. But _before_ the serum, came an arrangement for dinner that fell through. So what, if not the geneticist's intervention, had brought that about?

_Just wanted to fuck her, I bet._ As that was the most likely. And again, the animal was at odds with her. Where she just wanted to scratch an itch, it wanted to _keep_, it wanted to hold on and possess. Fang didn't want that, not for Lightning and not for herself. Though the human might in spite of herself. After all, her blood was changing too, according to Moira.

With a huff Fang finished off her near warm beer and shook her head again. In any case, perhaps an apology was in order. If nothing else, a come to Etro meeting was certainly on the to-do list.

"Watch it, babe, ya got somethin',"

Her father's voice broke her deep brooding, but it was a welcomed interruption. All of that could wait until she returned to Muir.

Fang's sleep wouldn't be as sound that last night in mountains, though still it went dreamless as before which she was very thankful for. She would find herself protesting only a little in the wee hours of morning as Tavisen roused her and they began to gather their things to carry back to the jeep. And she would openly admit that the trip, though seeming so brief, had done her some good. Her skin felt like it fit better.

The trail was quicker going down the slopes, allowing them to reach the car just after dawn. The ride back to the house was quiet, though not for any lingering anxiety but for the comfort. Two creatures in their natural habitat, nothing to be anxious about. Back at the house Tavisen suggested they just drop off the gear and go into town for a bite to eat. Sounded like plan, so they just dumped everything in the living room and went back on their way.

There was only one restaurant on the reservation, a little diner called Gau's. At this hour they were just opening their doors to the breakfast crowd, perfect timing as it was bat-shit busy once everyone was headed off to work, which would be in the next half hour or so. The pair pushed through the door, a little bell ringing over their heads.

"Go ahead an' grab a seat, darlin', gotta run t'the facilities." Felt like his back teeth were floating.

"Want coffee?"

"Sure."

Fang chuckled to herself as she slid into an empty booth, picking up a laminated menu to peruse while waiting for a server. When the girl in a skirt came by she made the request of two coffees and she went on her way, completely unaware that Fang watched her walk away. More so watched the sway of her hips and backside. The L'Cie shook her head. Damn. Then she focused on her appetite. What was she into this morning? She tried not to be distracted as the bell at the door chimed again, not to be distracted by the heavy footsteps that came through the floor. And when something slid into the seat in front of her, she just assumed it was her father.

"Morning."

But that wasn't her father's voice. Far from it.

Her green eyes raised from the menu, and forest met ice as Caius Ballad's gaze met hers. Her reaction was subdued, though every muscle in her body clenched and every short hair across her body bristled sharp. When his scent caught her nose her heart rate jumped. The animal inside snarled in warning.

"Surprised to see me?" he seemed to purr, smirking. "I would imagine you thought yourself safe here? Hardly."

"You ain't gonna start shit in fronna gods an' everybody," at least she was hoping so.

"No, not really. That's not what I'm here for, actually." he shook his head, casually settling his weight forward and on his elbows, fingers lacing together. "I just wanted to speak with you a moment, pass on a message from a mutual friend."

"If you gotta friend, they ain't no friend of mine."

"That's where you'd be wrong, I'm afraid." and he chuckled, husky, reaching one taloned paw into the heavy leather coat he was wearing.

A new scent hit her before he even revealed what his pocket contained. Blood, old but unmistakable. It made her hackles higher, her features lining with tension, doubly so when her eyes saw the bloodied envelope. Caius set it on the table and pushed it to her, gesturing with his hands for her to go ahead and take it. Almost silently pleading for her to open it.

Fang didn't want to touch it, let alone see what was inside. That smell was too familiar, too unsettling.

"It's rather important." he encouraged, his voice slightly hushed and his brows raised. "Humor me, would you?"

"Suppose once couldn't hurt." she was trying to show ego, but was failing. She knew Caius could smell her nerves, her tension. With one hand she put it to the stained paper, pulled it to her and lifted it from the table. With no visible hurry she pulled it open, sliding the page within out before unfolding it in the same casual manner. She took a moment to read what was written, glancing away only once to look at Caius cautiously. Then her brow scrunched.

"The hell is this?"

"Coordinates. In three days you will meet me at that location."

"Or what?"

"Well, there could be a myriad of consequences should you refuse. But, before I elaborate, do take a closer sniff of that, would you?" he waited, watched as she took his advice, smirking a little wider. "Smell familiar? It should."

Fang's eyes widened, brows raised. There was the slightest hint of her own scent on it, hers and...sweet gods. Her eyes fell sharp on Caius, who only laughed. And now that she looked, she found more brownish stains on his fingers, the tips of his claws.

"She lives for the time being, and that continuing will depend greatly on what you choose to do."

"My grave or hers, I suppose?" her jaw was tight, you could hear it beside the slight snarl.

"That, among other things. Could be worse. Rest assured, should you decided to follow my suggestion and meet me, you will die. Although what becomes of her is still up for debate. If I'm feeling generous, once I have what I want, I could make arrangements for your friends at NORA to find her. If not,"

"If not?"

"Don't interrupt, please," he chastised. "If not...you see, I've noticed that the hume can handle a great deal of...pressure. And she heals rather quickly, don't you think? My superiors would be very curious indeed to discover why that is. In fact, I would imagine there's a collection of rather _invasive_ procedures they could administer to find out."

Fang flinched, lips flaring slightly to show teeth. Images flashed in her mind, back to the nightmare, back to Lightning in the reactor and shot through with wires.

"So you mated her? How did you accomplish that?" and he appeared genuinely curious, almost excited in his inquiry. "Can't be too conducive to continuing the species...but that's beside the point. Still," his expression sobered, darkened, "should you fail to appear, I will see to it that she dies. Slowly. _Painfully_. However,"

_Gods, would you stop talking..._ The animal was foaming at the mouth, snarling and snapping.

"I would understand if you didn't show. I would imagine you don't really care about her all that much, do you? Creatures like you...you hardly even know what you are. All this time pummeling your way through a pointless existence, selfish. Yes, I know you, better than yourself it seems."

"Ya need t'get outta my face." she warned, pressing the letter down onto the table.

"Which I'm in the process of doing, so relax." he nodded slowly, gesturing with one hand. "Let's not make a scene. I came to deliver a message and I've done that. The rest is up to you. So," he stood steadily, pushing down on the creases in his clothes. "Perhaps I will see you again?" Then he left the diner, the bell above the door jingling once again. Though to Fang it was intense like a gong, and chimed louder than even the blood pounding through her.

It was mere seconds later that Tavisen reappeared, his comment about "that must've been the longest piss ever" going completely over his daughter's head. It troubled him that she didn't laugh, as that kind of humor usually would. Then he became aware of the horribly serious look darkening Fang's face and he felt his heart sink. He saw the envelope and letter under hands as well, the feeling intensifying.

"What's wrong, hon? What's happened?"

Fang looked up at him, nostrils beginning to flare and jaw still tight like a steel trap. "I gotta go back t'work."

Author's Note: Yeah, so a little more filler and a little plot. Next chapter is going to be the end-all-be-all battle between Caius and Fang, so stay tuned. After that is the epilogue, and thus this tale will end. As for anymore FLight in this particular piece, I'm not too sure. Likely heavy suggestion at most. Though I'm planning a one shot follow up shortly after, so you can look forward to that. Strictly for the fanservice, just like before. But that's later. Thanks for the patience everyone, and hope you enjoyed the ride. Also, be sure to send in any questions you might have because the slots are filling up fast. Now I'm off to bed.


	22. Chapter 21

**XIII**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Ada Hale wanted to talk. More specifically she wanted a deal. From where she stood she was thoroughly screwed. PSICOM had likely cut their loses where the projecting empath was concerned, so she was now unemployed and stranded. But the situation only got worse, aside from the fact that she was now blind. She was in the lion's den, surrounded by the opposition who she could sense were sore over her having nearly killed their leader. Her only option was to play the victim and see how far it could get her.

After much bickering and heated debate among the NORA agents, it was decided that they would hear her out. Especially since Ada was their only direct link to PSICOM, their only hope to possibly discover what might have become of Lightning. All they had to go on was what Serah and her mother could tell them, which was painfully inefficient. And they had yet been able to contact Fang, though an effort was still being made.

"And you're expecting us to trust you?" Hope was seated in his wheelchair, still too weak to stand for long periods on his own.

"I got no reason to lie." Ada snipped, her mouth moving only partially as stitches left her lips stiff and tender. "And I got nothing else, nowhere to go."

"Your sister could take you home."

"And you lot just patch me up and send me on my way? It's 'cause of your attack dog that I lost my eyes to begin with. You _owe_ me."

"The hell we do. And for the record, you've never needed a _reason_ for lying. You do it because you can."

"True. I won't deny it."

"I think we should just send her on." Gadot growled from where he stood near Hope. "She's just gonna jerk us around."

"Holy dick, I can _hear_ how ugly you are!"

The changeling flinched.

"Ada, please," Alyssa cautioned her step-sister. "They're not going to help you if you mouth off like that."

"They aren't going to help me anyway."

"I never said that." Hope corrected. "It's just you aren't known for your honesty, I've seen it for myself."

"What the hell do you want me to say, then?"

"Just tell us what your angle is."

"PSICOM screwed me over, I wanna screw 'em back and I ain't talkin' about a reach-around either."

"How did they cross you?"

"That cunt Ballad was supposed to be my back-up in Juno, but he never showed up." you could hear bitterness in her voice, it was bubbling up. Her bandaged fists clenching in the blankets of her bed. "He didn't even send in the tumor to help me."

"Tumor?"

"Nine. His little shadow puppet."

Everyone in the room, save for Ada, made the same face. Intrigued confusion. Then Serah, also wheelchair bound and in a c-collar due to her major concussion, spoke. "She wasn't really there. I saw a bullet go _right_. _Through_. _Her_."

"It's because she _wasn't_ there. Yeul's _never_ really there!" Ada sounded like they should have figured that out already. "She can project her consciousness, she's a drifter."

"But we're to understand she's only a level seven. She shouldn't be able to do that." Hope said, his brow still knitted with deep thoughts.

"Oh please, Yeul isn't even on that cockamamie scale! That was just the readings she _allowed_ them to pick up. Truth is they haven't even got a grade for her."

"How is that possible?"

Before she could answer, Yuj came into the room, looking flushed as if he had run the entire way from his post at the observatory and with his headset in his hands. "I got Fang," he panted. He paused to take a few breaths, compose himself. "She wants to talk to Serah."

And while Serah had, all this time, appeared only half awake, eyelids heavy with medication, now she looked well aware. She reached for Yuj, more so his headset as he strode across the room to her. She pressed half of it to her ear.

"Fang?"

"_Serah. I've spoken to Caius. He's got her."_

Serah took a breath. "I know. I was there."

_"He says she's alive, but that stands t'change pretty fast."_

"What can we do?"

_"I got maybe twenty-four hours to meet him somewhere or else she's gonna disappear for good. For better or worse."_ Yes, one day, seeing as she had been spending the last two switching between trying to reach NORA, arguing with herself, and arguing the risks over and over with Tavisen. _"All he gave me were the coordinates."_

"Give 'em to me."

_"You all right, kid? Maybe I should be talkin' t'someone else."_

Serah's eyes closed slowly, seeming to bank frustration with a deep breath. "I'm on so many painkillers right now...just give me the god damn numbers." then she moved the mic away from her mouth, covered it with one hand and nodded to Yuj. "I need a terminal."

Yuj started rolling Serah briskly down the hall as Fang cited the scrawls on the bloodied letter, Serah trying her damnedest to focus enough to remember them as they went. It wasn't far to the observatory, but she was liable to forget them due to the blow to the head she took. Once she had a keyboard under her fingers she started typing, monitor springing to life with Moogle Maps.

_"So what ya got?"_

"One minute." her eyes glued to the screen, then her breath hitched as the search engine resolved. "Shit."

_"What's wrong?"_

"Aggra. That's where he's headed. To the facility we rescued you from."

The line was quiet for moment. _"That so? Clever bastard, ain't he?"_ an empty laugh carried over. _"How far?"_

"Where are you?"

_"Oerba."_

"Too far by car unless you've got the Mach Five. Alyssa is here and I can send her for you. Fang,"

_"Yeah?"_

"Can I be honest with you?"

_"O'course. Lessin' you're tellin' me I can't win...that's it, innit?"_

"Caius has the advantage on you, no doubt. You know he's going to play with you...that's why he sought you out, made sure you knew what he did to Lightning. He's going to either make you too careful, or push you to make a mistake." she saw it all the time online, almost daily. Used the tactics enough herself to see the signs.

Quiet again, then a shrug. _"Maybe so. Still...doesn't matter. I got her into this mess, I gotta get her out or die tryin'. If I don't, they're gonna do her like they did me...'cause she's healin' now. Ya __know?"_

"Yeah, Moira told me." her eyes closed again, and her voice wavered. "Please...bring her back."

_"Don't worry your little head, kid. I'll see to it PSICOM never lays a hand on her."_ and it sounded like an uncertain promise, but an honest one. _"How soon before Alyssa comes for me?"_

"Give me the address of where you are and I'll get her to you as soon as possible. Just hang tight."

_"Gotcha."_

On the far end of the line, Fang hung up and passed the cell phone back to her father, his face still so thickly lined with concern as he took and stuffed it into the back pocket of his faded jeans. He sat down in the recliner in his living room, elbows to his knees and laced fingers pressed to his mouth. Fang had her back to him, propped against the kitchen counter. In silence she worked at the last few inches of a cigar, hoping it would settle her nerves a bit. And though her father was just as quiet, she knew he wanted to say something. Could sense it coming.

"I should go with you." he said after a minute or two.

"Nope." was her quick response. "This ain't about you."

"The hell it isn't," Tavisen snarled. "You're still my daughter, damn it!"

"Yup, your _grown_ girl who's gotta take care of her own problems." she nodded. "If it were any other way I wouldn't be arguin' with ya over it, but this is my mess. I'm cleanin' it up."

"But by _yourself_? It's foolish, girl, and ya know it!"

"And if ya follow me, it might spook him. He'll disappear," and take Lightning with him. Or worse, leave her -or whats left of her- there for Fang to find. "'Sides, it's me he wants, and me he's gonna get. Whether he likes it or not."

"If confidence was all ya needed, hon, I'd have no worries. But by the sounds of this guy he knows ya better than _you_ do. I don't like them odds."

"That's just too bad. It is how it is."

"You're stubborn, y'know that?"

"Just like you." and she chuckled. _Etro's grace, that little blinker ain't here yet?_ Waiting was always the hardest part.

"Actually, that was more your mother's thing," he cleared his throat, then was quiet for a moment. His features were still twisted with worry and he wrung his hands. He still looked like he had more to say. Maybe he was just struggling with accepting the fact that nothing would change Fang's mind.

"Hey," he managed out.

"Yeah?"

"Ya still got that necklace I made ya?"

"O'course I do. Hate to lose it on a job so I don't wear it as much."

Tavisen nodded, suddenly unsure of what sort of conversation he was vying for with the question. When you get right down to it, he just didn't want to see her go.

Far too soon for his liking a knocking came to his door. His heart sank though he put on the best smile he could as Fang introduced him to Alyssa. At the last moment before the two could leave, Tavisen put his hand to his daughter's shoulder.

"You'll come back, won't ya? Come see me again?"

Fang took a breath. "Iffin' I don't, it won't be for a lack of wantin' to."

He frowned, though it only showed in the low thickening of his bushy brow. "Give 'em hell, darlin'."

"Hope it'll be enough. Love ya, dad."

"You too, baby." and then he had no choice but to let her go, closing the door as she stepped away from him. The first thing he went for was the nearest beer.

"We should come out just a few yards or so from the ruins of the complex." Alyssa said as they stepped off the porch and onto gravel.

"Ruins? I must've done a real number on the place for it to be called that. How are the others holdin' up?"

"They were neck deep in it when I left, Hope thinks we might be able to find a way to get a one up on Caius."

"Oh yeah? That'd be awful helpful. How?"

"Dunno yet, but they're working as fast as they can."

"How can ya be sure it'll even phase him? It's like he's ten moves ahead of us."

"He won't see this coming."

"Guess I'll just have to take your word for it. So we goin' or what?"

"Ready?" Alyssa paused, putting a hand on Fang's shoulder.

"As I'll ever be."

_SNAP_. And they were gone.

It was still cold in the region of Aggra, though the snow had melted. In the middle of the dense, alpine forest they appeared, the snap of their entry echoing only a little ways under the trees. The ground hissed beneath their feet as the pressure of their presence brought out all the moisture from the big melt of just days ago.

"So which way am I goin'?"

Alyssa produced her phone from her pocket, touching the screen a few times with her fingertip. "About...a hundred yards in that direction." and she pointed.

"Uphill, of course." Fang shrugged. "Couldn't ya have gotten me a little closer?"

"Hey, just because you came alone doesn't mean he did. I'm not looking to get shot. Or worse."

"Point taken. Guess this is where we part ways then. Take care of yourself."

"Buy us what time you can, we'll do our best to hurry." and then she was gone again without another word, leaving Fang alone.

There was no hesitation in her steps, each of them even and pushing as she ascended the slope, pulling herself over fallen logs and large hunks of moss covered rocks. The higher the elevation, the greater the scent of ozone, carbon, something burning or having burned. Even weeks later, wisps of smoke were hanging in the air around what remained of the PSICOM installation. The reactor's explosion had filled a majority of the interior, vaporizing most of what lay inside and engulfing the rest in flames. Most of the fires were out, there were still some flickering in the deepest bowels, trapped oxygen keeping them alive. That's what the L'Cie smelled, the aftermath of her escape, her birth as this new creature, remembering things she hadn't before.

Darkness unveiled by hellish light, the screams of men, the heavy stink of death. It was so much clearer now, doubly so as she crested the slope and could look down to see it with her own eyes. Mangled metal buildings and decimated structures, scorched earth surrounding a great opening in the ground. She sniffed the air again, her mind sifting through the ozone and smoke, searching for traces of what she was really here for.

His scent was all over the place. Some of the tree trunks looked like he used them as scratching posts too. And most of it was fresh. He was here, no doubt about it. Though she had yet to pick up any trace of Lightning, gentle anxiety settling in. All the more reason to press on, delve deeper, to dare.

Carefully she descended towards the remains, constantly sniffing, looking about for anything that might belie her foe's presence or evidence of a trap he had lain. And rest assured, he had lain a few. One of a particularly cruel nature, but we'll get to that. Actually, make that two. Still, not now.

Fang stood outside what was left of the main entrance of the complex. It was relatively intact, but through the door was nothing but charred and twisted remains. A good sneeze would probably put the wall on the ground. She would walk around it, a short circle of the perimeter to get her bearings, finding there was little else to see other than what lay within that massive hole. She came to stand at the cusp of it, leaning slightly forward to look down into darkness and to hear the roaring hiss of snowy runoff tumbling down into its unseen gullet. Fang sniffed the air here as well, deeply, thoroughly, and caught her first whiff of the hume. It was faint for all the moisture in the air, but it was there and it put a shiver up her back. Not in a good way either.

Before she come to the decision herself to take the plunge, so to speak, someone else made it for her. It was like something hooked the collar of her wife-beater and pulled straight down with all the power of a two-ton weight. She tumbled down, arms flailing in fruitless panic for something to grab, though she didn't scream as she disappeared into the dark.

The shock of cold water surrounded her come the bottom, after falling some sixty or seventy feet, seven floors worth of distance to reach it. Her tailbone hit the bottom, and though it couldn't break, it still hurt like a bitch on impact. She came out of the water swearing and cringing, a hand at her backside as she rode out the pain. Though she was quick to shove it down and get to her feet again, having no comfort in wasting a single second in a compromising position. Caius was down here somewhere, she sniffed the air for him. Though she didn't find him, not right away, she almost choked on whats he did find.

Blood, lots of it, everywhere.

The light coming the opening above her was enough to illuminate the chamber she had tumbled into, bathing the steel walls and making them visible. They were smeared with blood, swaths of it in every direction. Most of it old, some of it not so much. Some of it was still dripping down the walls, still red and not yet the rusty brown color due to exposure to oxygen. The stench of it flooded Fang's senses, overwhelming them. There was no sifting through it, that's all that was in the air. And it was Lightning's blood. It stood to make her sick.

And it began to click. This was Caius' game, his strategy. The first step of which was to confuse her senses. All the different scents, the drowning noise of the water cascading down from overhead, too much to make out anything else that might be moving nearby. And now this, so much blood there would be no finding him in here. But that served a dual purpose; not only to overload her sense of smell, it was also to get really personal. He was looking to piss her off, and it just might work at this rate.

_Bet that kid's around here too...must've been her that pulled me down._

Things were just getting better and better. Where was that cat-grinning bastard? The only choice was to go on, forward, deeper into this twisted tomb. All this in spite of the gut-deep shakes she was fighting. And the darkness of the corridors beyond didn't help matters, or that the stink of blood that would follow right behind her.

She climbed out of the pool, seeming unaware of the shards of glass at her ankles, some melted. It was what remained of the reactor that made her.

Fang would find more evidence of her having once been here as she walked through the darkened tunnels, water splashing as she moved. Claw marks etched deep into the walls, criss-crossing and tearing through the steel panels as if it were just flesh. She touched them, flashes in her mind erupting at the tactile encouragement. Blood and sparks, gunfire, more screams, some of them echoing in her head as her own. Part of her was proud she'd ripped this place a new asshole, another part shivered in disgust. To think she could have done all this...

_They'd been askin' for it._ A little voice assured her. _Nobody fucks with Fang Yun and comes out on top._

Fang turned a corner and froze. In the near darkness she could see what lie at the far end of the corridor. It made her claws pop, _snickt_, in an instant.

Yeul. All alone, but clearly not afraid because of it. She just stood there, her gaze meeting her fellow L'Cie's, childlike and innocent seeming. Perhaps if Fang hadn't looked her in the eyes, maybe she would've had a better chance at keeping the powerful telepath out. But she got in easy, her mental touch like a cold tremor in Fang's stomach. Without knowing how she pushed back, but it wasn't enough to make the young girl let go. Yeul began working on the sense that was the least busy at the moment, her hearing, as the sound of the water from the chasm was far from this corridor. She filled the wild L'Cie's mind with screaming, the shriek of metal on metal, all the horrible commotion she had been imagining and remembering all this way, bringing it to life. Fang wavered on her feet, the sheer volume of it enough to make her flinch hard. She tensed to it, snarled, all but put her hands over her ears to try and block it out. Then Yeul took it a step farther, filling her head with nothing but the screams of the hume she sought to rescue.

Step two: agitate, inhibit reasoning.

That brought out the animal, even if just a little. More than enough.

Instead of shying Fang retaliated, twisting into motion and making a mad dash for the girl with a raged shout. Just as she came on her, claws working upward, Yeul shimmered out of sight. That was when Caius appeared, barreling out of the dark at a healthy sprint. His talons hooked into flesh and he shoved Fang into the nearest wall. His weight and size trapped her in the corner, shoulders squashed and arms wedged against the wall in front of her, adamantium tips dangerously close to her face. No room for movement, but the pain of his claws in her had her squirming in his grip.

"Welcome to your funeral, runt," he snarled, his canines as large as he could make them and still speak.

The rage was boiling up already, just having his hands on her, his scent in her flared nostrils. Her heart rate spiked, blood pounding through her hot with adrenaline. She didn't think, she reacted. Instinctual. She pulled one leg up as high as she could and kicked, catching him in the stomach with enough force to push him back. And though his claws ripped chunks of flesh away from her ribs, revealing argent bones to shimmer in the dimness, she still stood ready.

"Where is she, ya gutless fuck?!"

Caius smirked, licking blood from his talons, chuckling. "Come a little closer, let me whisper it to you."

With a grinding cry she lunged, long strides propelling her forward and claws reaching as she came close to him. He merely stepped back, thinking steps ahead and making spot-on predictions of the moves she would make. All he could do was laugh. It was just too easy. He put a foot to the middle of her chest, like getting hit by a truck, and it put her on her back in a chilled puddle of water. Then he was on her, pouncing, claws finding flesh. But Fang would fight back, force it through the pain of talons tearing into her, and put her own claws to his shoulders. Right where the joint met his torso, practically locking them in place and limiting his movement. With a bellowing roar he shied but did not retreat. He grabbed her wrists and pushed, slowly freeing himself from her as a snarl erupted from his toothy grimace. Fang pushed back, but just wasn't strong enough to maintain. Her started bending his wrists, turning her hands towards her face, claws leaning back to line up with her eyes. Eyes that widened in instinctual panic, but only for a split second. She tucked her chin and her knees as one, only serving to nick her forehead as she once again used her legs to push him away.

Caius didn't go far, catching himself on the corridor wall. Fang had just enough time to stand before he was on her again, snatching her up in his massive paws to hurl her against the wall, her head smacking hard. But she came right back as he lunged again, lancing his guts and pushing back as she met him half way. A great roar echoed through the remains of the complex as she pulled upward, slicing a few ribs apart as she slashed his organs. Fang took a jarring swat to the face, talons laying her cheek wide open to expose adamantium, but she didn't shy. She kept pressing, going just a bit higher, into his lungs. With icy eyes wild with pain he snatched her throat and pulled, jerking her off her feet and out of his flesh. And his great paw just _squeezed_.

Fang couldn't breathe, his grip vice-like. At first all she could do was grip his wrist, pulling with futility. But then the instincts kicked in through the panic. She laced her claws through the bundle of nerves just below his hand, robbing him of all gripping strength and forcing him to let go. But just as her boots touched down his other hand came up, colliding with her chin and snapping her head back. If it could, her jaw would've snapped in half. The pain radiated for a moment and then was gone, hastily enough for Fang to save herself the trauma of Caius' next attack. He swiped downward with one hand, fingers hooked with shredding precision, only to have the appendage hacked off at the middle of his forearm. Blood gushed from the wound as he tucked it to his chest, eyes screwed shut and a howl of pain rippling out of him as he fell against the wall. The dismembered hand splashed into a pool of water, fingers still clutched with lethal gesture.

Fang looked down at him, panting hard, blood streaming down her face and dripping from her hands. "Hurts, dunnit'? I bet. But it's about t'get a lot worse," and she stepped towards him, claws rising.

But then she froze, jerked to a sudden stop, and her hands went to her head. She hit her knees, her mind suddenly filled to the brim with images and sounds. Recollections Yeul was forcing into her from the far end of the corridor, snippets of the hours of torture the hume suffered that Caius might have what he needed to set up the wild L'Cie. All the blood, the screaming. Good gods, make it stop!

A few moments, not even a minute, was long enough for Caius to heal. To put the severed hand on the stump of his arm so the ends would grow back together. He was on his feet again and wasted no time. He snatched Fang up by the scruff and put her face to the wall.

"I believe," he growled low, "I have grown tired of this game."

"Well that's too bad," she twisted against his grip, looking at him. "I was just gettin' started." One leg thrust out and connected with his knee, a loud _snap_ resounding in the air. In retaliation Caius simply tossed her away, some half the distance towards the mouth of the corridor where they had begun this encounter. Fang would take advantage of the distance, drawing back into the open area of the chasm. These close quarters weren't doing her any favors.

They could be at this for hours, Caius knew it. And that was far more time than he was willing to give this little tussle of theirs. His knee reset and he began to walk in pursuit, in no great hurry. He needed the runt to stop thinking so clearly, otherwise his intellect and her instinct were at a stalemate. He was always a step ahead, but she was quick to catch up. And Yeul was doing a wonderful job, but it wasn't enough. That just wouldn't do. He needed to take that control away.

Unless...he still had a trap waiting. Perhaps that would be enough. Though he could still finish this if it wasn't. With his careful planning, it would take an act of God for him to fail.

Step three: destroy Weapon Thirteen.

Fang knew Caius was right on her heels as she came into the sunlight of the chasm, the roar of rushing water drowning out the ringing of screams in her head. Though the scent of blood was much more prevalent here, making her strides uneasy for all of a second. It was enough for Caius to catch up, his weight bearing down on her suddenly from behind. She shouted at the tearing pain of his talons in her back as the impact put her on her belly, scraping her shoulder blades with the whine of claws on metal. He dragged her back towards him, giving up enough of his hold for her to twist around and land the point of her elbow against his temple. But he wasn't giving up that easy. They wrestled on the floor like this, trading blows, blood spattering the charred metal panels beneath them. Teeth flashing and claws cutting the air. He sank his tusks into her throat, she tore off one of his ears with her teeth. As quick as they healed they wounded one another.

Caius managed to his feet somehow, pulling Fang with him. He had her by the shirt, her claws stuck knuckle-deep into his sides. Mentally he checked his surroundings, eyes straying from the runt for only a moment. Finally certain of where he was, his mind started working again. Analyzing what it would take to spring his trap. Not much, actually. In his mind he called to Yeul, telling her to be ready. Then he pushed back. Fang stumbled away from him, finding her balance just in time to kiss Caius' knuckles as they hit her right in the puss. She felt his grip again through the sensation of the world spinning, and her body jerking to the side as she was thrown once again. The weightlessness of flight and then the heavy impact and roll of her momentum. She splashed into another chilled pool. These tunnels were flooded, most of them. Though not all of them with water.

Fang started choking, her sense of smell and taste overwhelmed with fumes of something...something that should have been readily familiar. Before she could remember, Yeul was in her mind again, filling it with pain and images she prayed weren't real. To keep the wild L'Cie where she was.

Caius stood at the mouth of the corridor he'd tossed the runt into, looking down on her as she writhed with all the discomfort in her head. His claws flexed, chest expanding with a deep breath, his eyes narrowing. He had made two of these particular pitfalls, but was glad to see he only needed the one. Couldn't be too careful with creatures like her. As if he had all the time in the world he put his talons to the steel panel on the wall beside him, raking it in such a way that the friction caused a spark. One dying star of light hit the puddle, springing the trap. The entire corridor came to life with light, the roaring of flames shaking the steel panels around it.

This corridor was flooded with gasoline.

It was instantaneous. The burning. It wrapped her up and sank its teeth in deep, tearing away at cotton, denim, hair and flesh. She tried to breathe and was sucking flames, heat ripping at her throat and tongue. In her lungs. Her body seized with pain, hands working thoughtlessly to wipe away the fuel from her already blistering skin. There was no getting away from it, no escape, no relief. She was burning and there was no stopping it. The last thing she would remember was Yeul's grip slipping from her mind as it went blank with horrendous pain, brain scorched like her body, and the echoes of her own screams as the flames swallowed her whole.

Caius watched, his ears slanting back at the horrible wail coming out of the heart of the inferno. But that was all he felt, that slight discomfort, and it was quickly taken over by a sense of satisfaction. The job was done, and once the fire had burned its last, all he needed to do was collect the remains and be on his way. He would finally have his due. The cat smiled, tusks glimmering in hellish relief.

But his supposed victory would be short lived. His ears picked up another sound, another scream, and it filled him with something he thought he had forgotten how to feel. Fear. He twisted around and moved quickly back the way he came, into the chasm.

"Caius!" it was Yeul, and she was terrified. "Caius, help me! They've found me!"

Caius ran to her, body working for all it was worth. He heard her crying and it struck him, twisted up his insides in a way he simply couldn't process.

"They've found me!"

He knelt down when he reached her, to gather her up, but she disappeared, his arms left empty. The look on his face, the wideness of his eyes, he was unrecognizable. The cool, calculated hunter had fizzled away into a terrified and mortal thing who now gaped at the emptiness of his hands. Now he panted for breath, his mind abuzz and frantic. He almost couldn't think, couldn't make heads or tails of anything. It was on the fritz with panic. Rising to his feet he looked around, eyes darting and void of purpose. Then he remembered, his thoughts lined back up. He had to save her, and he had to hurry.

He would have to climb almost to the top of the chasm to reach her. There was a great steel support that ran from the foundation to the surface, and he sank his claws deep into it to begin his ascent. He was so focused on his task, he never noticed what was still going on beneath him. Never noticed the movement.

Caius perhaps made it twelve feet up the support beam before something grabbed him by the leg. With an enraged roar he twisted, one hand coming loose and the other threatening to let go due to the addition of a couple hundred pounds of solid weight. Caius looked to see what impeded him, and found a streak of horror buried deep in his guts torn free. Wreathed in flames and only partially there, eyes mad with fury and shimmering adamantium revealed in pock marks and blisters, was Weapon Thirteen.

"_I aint done with you yet, ya sonofabitch_!" Came from a snarling maw half burned away.

A set of claws ripped into his back, through a kidney at the very least, enough to make Caius let go and fall back to the chasm floor.

The animal was in control now, forced to take it as a means of survival. It could push aside the pain of being burned alive to crawl out of the trap, to go after Caius with every intent to finish what he started. It was capable of doing what Fang couldn't. Willing and able.

And Caius would not fair as well as he thought he would. With his current worries he couldn't focus enough on the foe at hand, his attention split between Fang and Yeul. Fang would tear into him without hesitation, without having to think about it, and every wound went deep. In time she would get him on his back beneath her, her face healing into the feral grimace it was now set in. She raised one set of claws, knuckles at cheek level, and as he roared one last time -perhaps in defiance- she followed through. Stabbed him in the brain, leaving three slits just above his brow. His body jerked, shivered, and then went completely still.

For a moment she simply stood over him, body still tense and tattered with wounds, skin streaked with black. Their final tussle had allowed her to step beneath the frigid runoff coming down from above, putting out the flames, but her body was struggling to catch up to the damage. Skin stitched back together, stretching over charred flesh. The animal looked up, raised its arms coated thick with another's blood and cried out, victorious. Claws gleaming in the light.

And then it remembered, its senses zeroing in on the older traces of blood in the air. The hume's. Its mind changed gears almost immediately, stalking away from Caius' body. The animal was listening, sifting through the roar of water and the growl of the flames still churning in the corridor. It was listening for a heartbeat. With the air so polluted with smoke and blood of several owners, it was the only sense it could count on. It stalked the halls, claws still unsheathed out of suspicion of any threats it couldn't see.

As it drew further from the chasm the air began to clear, allowing it to try finding what it could through smell. The hume was nearby, no doubt. Her heartbeat was as clear as the L'Cie's own, though not nearly as fast. It cut down a steel door, right off the hinges, certain the hume would be on the other side. It was not mistaken. Though the animal flinched, remembering the nightmare as it saw Lightning laying atop one of those examination tables in the darkened room within, on her side with hands zip-tied behind her back, pale skin streaked with blood. Likely her own. But then it tensed.

The room reeked of Caius.

With its senses filled with traces of its adversary, the animal was on the defensive, claws poised and jaw tight with teeth showing. A low growl rumbled through it as it stepped into the room.

This was Caius' fail safe, the more cruel of his tricks put in place on the off chance that he should fail. As unlikely as that was. Before going out to meet with his fate, Caius dressed Lightning in his clothes and put other traces of himself on her, knowing that it would take the animal to stop him. And the animal -in such a blind rage- wouldn't be able to define friend or foe by sight, but by something more base. If he could not win, Caius saw to it that Thirteen would lose.

Lightning lay unconscious on the table, weak from having nothing to eat and drugged up to stay quiet and still. There was an empty syringe on the floor. No telling what had been in it. She had no idea where she was, what had been going on, what stood to happen as the L'Cie loomed over her. Still sniffing.

Its blood boiled, heart pounding. It could see the hume, _its_ hume, but it smelled the enemy. In the near darkness it found suspicious chalky stains on the clothing that stank of an intruding male. That brought out the rage, making it feel that its territory had been compromised. Its possession tainted. And the smell only added to that, tricking it to thinking perhaps her blood had changed again, changed to prefer another. The claws came up, slanting in lethal purpose.

But it paused, body shaking, chest heaving with quick breaths. Something was holding it back, much to its own dismay. Perhaps, for the first time, Fang was actively pushing back at it. As much as she was at odds with the hume at present, she deserved better than to die like this.

The struggle was brief, quietly dramatic in how it showed on the L'Cie physically. She stepped away from the table, hands to her face, body tight as her insides were at war with themselves. Sweat rolled, stinging the wounds still fighting to seal. The sound of her own breaths were deafening, like cannon fire, ringing through her ears amongst the argument between the animal and the person it hid behind. Instincts tangled with reason, and reason with fear. And fear was at the core of it all. Fear of attachment, of losing everything she never realized was hers to lose.

_I can't._

You can.

_No. I won't._

Do it. Her blood has changed.

_No it hasn't. Just a trick._

She hates you. For what you did.

_But that's okay. Doesn't mean she has to die._

But she'll put a leash on you! You know she will! She's just like all the others!

_No. She's not._

Fucking hume!

_You hush now._

Somehow Fang won out, though she wouldn't remember it later. Her heart rate eased, her breathing slowed, and the panic drifted away. She straightened, her features no longer set in fury but something that resembled remorse. Like all this mess had been her fault. Her claws were unsheathed for but a moment longer, long enough to cut the zip-ties holding Lightning's hands together and then they slid back quickly. _Snackt._ Then, with hands shaking with both fatigue and uncertainty, she gathered the hume up in her arms. She wasn't all that heavy.

"I'm sorry, darlin'," she said quietly, brow low over her green eyes. "Never meant for any of this. Dunno how I'll make it up t'ya either, but I'm still sorry. Now let's get you home."

Author' Note: So yeah, hope you enjoyed that. Kind of had a brain puke and kicked this out in a little more than a day. Go me. Going to get right to the Epilogue and hopefully it'll tie up any loose ends and answer what questions you have as far as the plot is concerned. Although it is likely to be shorter than most other chapters. Also with it I will be posting the twenty questions cut-off date, and hope to have the video up shortly thereafter followed by the fanservice one-shot I've been talking about. See ya then, and thanks for coming along for the ride.


	23. Epilogue

**XIII**

**Epilogue**

Another week, another blood test. Lightning sat beside Moira's desk, her knuckles against her cheek as she propped her head up. She waited patiently, per the usual, for the results while perusing the latest issue of Arsenal Magazine. It had been like this for the past six months, once a week, more frequently when she was menstruating. Over that time Moira had come to the conclusion that whatever the mutation was, it wasn't going to go away. Something unique about Lightning's physiology had caused the serum to behave in this manner, and unless that certain something changed, the mutation would maintain as it had been.

The healing factor would come and go, its potency waxing and waning depending on the time of the month. Just before and just after her period was when it was at its peak, allowing serious injury to resolve in a matter of minutes. Otherwise she would heal at a not so accelerated rate, but still much faster than other humes.

And don't get me started on the PMS. It was a fucking nightmare, enough said. Even chocolate couldn't help the poor woman.

"Same as it was this time last month, Miss Farron." Moira said after a while, adjusting her glasses as was the ritual.

"Come to any new theories at least?" One rosy eyebrow raised. Normally these visits would last an hour or two, most of it consisting of her listening to Moira go on and on about what she was thinking.

"Mayhaps. I believe I keep forgettin' I'm not dealin' with humans...nae entirely anyhow. I've noticed the cell renewal activity fluctuates with your hormone levels, as does Miss Fang's. When ya begin to ovulate, the cell renewal spikes."

"So...like my body's getting ready for kids?"

"That, and considerin' the nature of your relationship, perhaps preppin' ya to be able to handle the mating."

Her brows rose for a moment and she blushed a little. But it died quickly. "I don't suppose you've heard from her...Fang."

Moira's expression changed briefly, her chin dipping so she looked over the frame of her glasses.

"Just thought I'd ask."

"She's on assignment for Mr. Raines, that's all I know. That's all any of us know."

Lightning shrugged quietly, as if trying to have the gesture go unnoticed. Fang had been gone for six months. Last time she'd seen her was when Fang called her a "fuckin' hume". And what Moira had told her had become of the wild L'Cie was the explanation she had gotten for her absence when she came to. Moira would get blood samples from her occasionally, so she could compare them with Light's, but there was never a return address. She understood the secrecy. Job had to be pretty big stuff to have to keep it quiet, and she accepted that with little effort. But that didn't make things easy, especially when the hormones were raging. But it wasn't just that. Lightning missed her, wanted to talk to her, to apologize, explain...so many things.

In the end she nodded. "What about Caius and Yeul?"

"Last I heard they were on a boat headed east. No idea where, but I believe that's how they wanted it."

Caius Ballad had actually survived his supposedly fatal encounter with Fang. Though his brain had been severely damaged, his healing factor was still active long enough to restore the tissue. However it didn't restore his memory. NORA found him at the bottom of the chasm aimlessly wandering around and wondering who and where he was. Being the bleeding hearts they were, NORA couldn't find it in them to just leave him there. And as for Yeul, Ada had been telling the truth when she said the girl could project her consciousness and actually interact that way. What she also told them is that when Yeul had come into her powers, they surfaced so suddenly and with such force that they put her in a coma. Her mind was still very much active, though her physical body had shut down. That's what brought Caius to PSICOM to begin with. They promised to bring her out of it in exchange for his service as an agent as well as a guinea pig. Regardless of whether or not they actually could do such a thing.

NORA would find the telepath's body hidden in the remains of the compound, hooked into a life support system, and of the physical age of a twenty-something year old woman. Caius had found Yeul as an orphan and took her in, but not because he was a generous guy. Even as a child he could tell she was meant to be with him, to be his mate. NORA would take both L'Cie into their care, Mr. Raines taking personal responsibility for Yeul. Something PSICOM never knew was that you needed a telepath to reach a telepath, especially one as powerful as the young woman seemed to be. It would take time, some weeks, but Mr. Raines would succeed. Though Caius couldn't remember her, not in the least, the look on his face when he saw her was something else. A part of him still knew her somehow.

She and Caius then struck out on their own a few days ago, going gods knew where.

"Probably for the better." Lightning said. "Keeps them out of our hair at least."

"Aye."

"Did you want anything else? An arm, a leg, my first born?"

"Oh har-har, be off wi'ya, ya damn Yank."

Lightning smirked, rolling the magazine and sticking it in her back pocket as she stood to leave. Entering the corridor she crossed her arms, walking with no visible hurry, aiming to return to her dorm for a spell. It was early yet, just after noon, but she had a job tonight and wanted some down time before having to ship out. No idea about the specifics yet, only that it was tonight and there was some traveling to do.

Turning a corner she came just shy of kissing the middle of a tanned, broad chest. Pausing just in time, she looked up to see Gadot and his blunt tusks as he smirked. Up a little higher she saw Ada Hale perched on his shoulders. Hope and Maqui were beside them.

"Going somewhere?" she asked with a slight hint of sarcasm, her cerulean eyes sliding to Hope. Who, six months later, was looking much better and up on his own two feet these days.

"Surgery." Hope responded.

"Oh, that's today?" one rosy brow raised. Mr. Raines had extended the offer to the former PSICOM operative to come and work for him instead. Ada took it on the condition that they restore her sight, be it by any means possible. With a lot of Red Dragon energy drinks Maqui devised a solution. Robotic eyes.

"Their gonna have lasers." the youngest L'Cie nodded his head with excitement clear in his face.

Both her brows reached for her hairline. "Is that safe?"

"Mr. Raines actually liked the idea," Hope seemed surprised to say. "Says it would make her more potent in the field."

"And make me a bigger bad ass," Ada added. "As if that were possible. So what are we waitin' for? Giddyap, porky!"

"Good luck." Lightning nodded, a slight grin on her mouth.

"We're gonna need it." and Hope smiled, a bit of a shrug in him as he put a hand to her shoulder and walked on.

Light found herself dwelling on them for a spell, mostly Gadot. Ada had the poor brute wrapped around her little finger, it was obvious though he wouldn't admit it. And in spite of her absolutely vulgar mouth and cutting insults, he seemed to be drawn to her and overflowing with charity and understanding. Maybe it was because she was straight, and the only reason she could even consider the idea was because Gadot had voiced his concerns about the upcoming procedure. He was so worried over her seeing him for the first time. He had always struggled with rejection, that much she knew, so she could understand. But they weren't really a thing, were they?

To be honest, Light hadn't given the weapon much thought, only noticing she was on Muir at all as Alyssa would frequently come and go. She didn't even know that Raines had extended her the offer to stay. Guess that shows how much it really concerned her. Wasn't her business anyway.

But lasers? Etro's grace...

She went on her way with a slow shake of her head. Lightning would make it to her dorm with no further interruptions, closing the door behind her with a sigh as she stepped into her personal space. Pulling the magazine from her pocket she placed it on the bedside table, switching on the lamp before sitting down on the edge of the bed. She stretched and fell back, hands folding beneath her head as she settled. Staring at the ceiling seemed like the next logical thing to do.

Lightning noticed she was doing this more and more lately. Just lost in thought when she had nothing to otherwise occupy herself. She couldn't think of a time prior of being so idle. There was always something to do, a case file to read, a weapon to maintain, a contact to reach. But no, not today, not for a while. Not to say that NORA hadn't been busy. There had been assignments, at least a dozen, but she had not accompanied her teammates on those jobs.

Cid had been somewhat reluctant to let her get back to work too quickly. The telepath seemed convinced there was some underlying mental scarring left from her tenure as Caius' hostage. Never mind how much she argued there wasn't. Her boss even went so far as to suggest counseling, something her mother had also tried to encourage after hearing about it. Light was convinced she didn't need it. Sure, hours of torture -getting to see your insides on the outside- can be traumatic, but it didn't mean it had to linger, rip you up from the inside. It happened, and yes it was painful, but now it was over. She just coped, enough said.

Not that she would ever forget it. Not by a long shot as it still wrestled her out of sleep with dreams from time to time. But it wasn't interfering, she could function. There was no need for the coddling.

Besides, she would be back on the job tonight. Everything was going to go back to the way it was. Well, almost everything.

Lightning couldn't wrap her head around it, struggled to regularly. Why did Fang leave? Why so suddenly without even so much as a good-bye or a go fuck yourself? What was so important about the job she was on to require her to all but disappear? The only trace of the wild L'Cie of ever even being here was the necklace she had left behind, the one sitting in hiding in Lightning's bedside table drawer. She had come to find it beside the lamp originally, once she was released from the infirmary some months ago. It was before she even knew Fang had left, and she thought she had possibly left it there when they first...well, you know. But that hadn't been the case, Lebreau would elaborate while she looked to return it to its rightful owner. Fang was gone, on this so-secret assignment, and had left the choker for Lightning to keep until she got back.

The gesture spoke volumes, and perhaps was the only thing still convincing Lightning that Fang would ever return. As a little voice in the back of her mind was insistent that it wouldn't be for her sake if she did. She had done far too much, or just enough, to harm the L'Cie's trust, and though they were now bound by blood in some strange way, it didn't mean Lightning had to matter to her. If Fang saw her as anything more than an inconvenient responsibility, she would be surprised.

Her face twisted slightly in the brow, tightening as she took a breath and sighed. No point in dwelling on it when there was nothing you could do. She laid there for all of another minute before sitting up again. She needed something to do, something relatively constructive. She stood up, stretching briefly. Maybe a trip to the firing range would be good to kill some time.

It would provide adequate distraction, almost amusement as she gathered a few of the other gun types from the armory she hadn't tried before, like a grenade launcher. She visibly smiled after popping off the first round of that fat boy -as was its nickname-, a flash of light filling the room upon its detonation. From there she mentally went through a checklist of different armaments, going from largest to smallest, from high powered assault rifles to the nine millimeter. Lightning had put a fresh magazine into the pistol just as her cell phone buzzed in her back pocket, tearing her away from her fun.

"Farron speaking."

_"Cid Raines, how are you?"_

"Fine, sir. What did you need?"

_"I've got the specifics for your assignment tonight. Could you meet with me in the observatory please?"_

"Right away." she hung up and put the phone back into her pocket, pushing out an almost disappointed sigh. For her, putting guns away was like putting down the family pet. Once the dirty deed was done she was off to the observatory. She would find Cid with suit and tie as usual, though she expected for him to have one of those manilla folders tucked under his arm. An unspoken law of the universe was that your boss should always have one of those when a new job comes up.

"Ah, there you are, thank you for coming so promptly."

"Of course. So what am I dealing with?"

"Well, to make a long story short, things in the capital haven't been going so well for yours truly. As hard as I have been fighting, and in spite of what surprising amounts of support I have been getting, the L'Cie Registration proposal has passed into the senate and is looking to be on the president's desk by the end of the month to await his signature."

Light swallowed. Not something she was expecting to hear.

"So I've been doing what I could to try and cushion the impending blow, so to speak."

"What can I do?"

Cid smiled. "That's the spirit. I'm actually going to need you to go undercover, gather some dirt from an informant of mine. From what I understand they know the location of one of the largest PSICOM data installations on the continent. If we can find it, we can wipe it out along with all of the files they may have on confirmed and suspect L'Cie."

"Clever, even if the bill passes, they won't have anything to work with."

"That's the idea. You up for it?"

"Naturally."

"Perfect," his grin widened a little more. "You're going undercover as an escort."

Her face flinched. "You mean a prostitute?"

"No, I mean an escort. I don't know what you've heard, but there's more to it than that." he had to laugh a little. He couldn't help himself. "But you're set to meet them tonight at the Laughing Wolf in Kalm."

"Do they know me?" she thought it odd almost immediately that this informant would pick such a place.

"Not that I know of. Actually I didn't ask. But I chose the location as Chuck is a family friend, not to mention the area is familiar and will make it easy for you to get out quickly if this turns out to be a set-up."

"Guess that makes sense. What am I going to need?"

"A skirt, for starters."

One rosy brow sharpened. "I don't wear skirts."

"What better time to start?" and this time he fought the laugh trying to wiggle its way out, catching his agent's lethal gaze before he could open his mouth. "Also you'll need something distinctive, something to make you stand out in a crowd. Although with that sort of clientele, just showing up would get you noticed."

"At least tell me I can bring a gun."

"If you can hide one well enough, be my guest. Otherwise, just treat it like you're going on a date."

"I've never been on a date."

"Oh...well," he looked genuinely surprised. "I suppose you'll have to wing it. But don't worry, I have faith in you."

"I think Lebreau would be better suited for this. She's more the people person."

"And I thought it would be the perfect assignment for you to ease back into the routine."

Lightning crossed her arms, cocking one hip to show her obvious displeasure. "Will I have any backup?"

"Yes. Once you're ready, Alyssa will be taking you to meet with Mr. Katzroy, and he will drive you to the Laughing Wolf, ghosting you the whole night. No worries."

"How long do I have to prepare?"

"Twenty minutes."

That smirk of his made her want to punch him. Five across the eyes. But she decided against it. "I'll see you in twenty minutes."

He only nodded as she turned away from him and left the observatory.

Lightning bathed, quickly as time was pressing, and would end up spending the majority of those twenty minutes agonizing over her clothes and how to still hide a weapon on her somewhere. A gun wasn't going to work, it had too much weight and too much of a profile against the white, low cut blouse and black dress she had no choice but to wear. And there was no strapping it to her thigh as would have been the alternative, as the black dress -though dropping as far as the ankles- was slit up the side, stopping mid thigh. Too risky for someone to catch a glimpse or cop a feel of it. Though she thought she could get away with a knife, but not in her boot. She couldn't wear boots with this. The next best thing were a pair of strapped, gods-awful sandal type shoes with low heels. Lightning had never worn them, but they were a gift from her mother so she wasn't exactly quick to throw them out or give them away. Good thing too.

The last bit, about the distinguishing article, was easily solved though not easily executed. Her first thought was jewelry, something subtle yet unique, but she didn't own any. Her eyes fell to the side table, to its only drawer. Did she have any other choice? Not that she didn't like the look of the choker around her neck. The black and brass fit in rather well, actually.

Lightning would leave her dorm looking uncomfortable, not at all accustomed to such attire, but seemed willing to put up with it for the given reasons. Occupational hazards are such a bitch.

She was happy to see Alyssa waiting when she returned to the observatory, unable to stand the way her boss and coworkers were gawking at her for very long.

Cid smirked in a way only he could. "So where did you hide the gun?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Actually yes, but I suppose you could tell me later." he chuckled. "Good luck."

"Thanks. When should I be expecting our contact to show?"

"They didn't give an exact time, but I would assume before the bar closes. Just be patient."

Light didn't like the sound of that, thought it too fly-by-night, too risky, but she accepted it all the same with a nod. Then, in a blink and crack resounding through the air, she and Alyssa were gone.

They would come out the other end in front of Mr. Katzroy's house, the two of them parting ways when they saw the L'Cie already waiting in a idling car. Lightning slid into the passenger seat and crossed her legs, looking at him after it seemed like he was waiting for something else.

"Well?"

It was too obvious what he was looking at, being only a man. Under her scrutiny all he did was shake his head slowly with a quiet "damn" as he put the car in gear and began driving. It was roughly three hours to their destination, and that was an awful long time to feel like a piece of meat. Did he even know she was gay? Maybe that's what had made him shake his head.

The sun was beginning to set when they reached Kalm, the sky burning red and orange as they drove across the city limits. Pulling into the gravel lot of the Laughing Wolf, Sazh left the engine running, as if he intended to go elsewhere.

"I'm gonna take a look around the area, make sure no one suspicious is camping out or anything. I'll only be a little while."

Lightning only nodded as she eased out of the car, pushing down on the creases in her dress, making sure she was presentable. She shut the door and watched him drive off, a cloud of dust kicked up as he pulled onto asphalt. Then she looked to the bar, able to hear the music and carrying on inside from where she stood. She steeled herself, and then walked right into the lion's den.

It was just like before, several months back when she first came here. Crowded, the air thick with the smell of cigarette and cigar smoke, liquor, and moving bodies that numbered in the dozens. It was already getting packed. Guess the drinking crowd starts early here. The live band didn't sound so bad, it was a distraction from the smell at least. She spied an empty in booth in the far corner, making a beeline for it. Gods, this outfit made her feel too vulnerable. Best burn it when she got back.

It took surprisingly little time for a server to scurry up to the table, asking for her drink order. A car bomb, per the usual. Tying one off might make the wait a little easier. And, as she would come to find, the wait would be long. A couple of hours, long after the sun went down and the street lights outside came to life. For most of that time she sat in the booth, unmoving, twiddling her thumbs and looking towards the door whenever someone new came into the bar. Many of them would meet her gaze, rouse her hopes that the contact had finally arrived, but no dice. Just passing human interest in a pretty woman. Her gaze sank to her lap, a breath passing through her to quell her growing lack of patience. Then her senses surged at the groan of vinyl as someone slid into the seat across from her.

Buckskin aussie cap, a dusky mess of wolfish hair, piercing green eyes that looked at her so directly, with so much confidence. Those were the first things she processed, her heart rate jumping. The red button down shirt and black silk vest almost didn't register at all.

"Haven't seen ya around here before, sweet thing. Just passin' through?"

"Yeah. Here on business." was her coy response.

"Well, care to let that business be my business?" a cocky smirk. "What's your name, honey?"

Lightning was taken back again, to that first visit to the bar. She almost smiled. "Still don't remember?"

"It's Claire, innit?"

Her breath hitched. "So who told you?"

"Nobody." Fang shifted in the seat, tipping the front brim of her hat back, a smooth smile still gracing her lips. "I remember now, what happened. Most of it anyway."

Light then swallowed, nodding. "Was it my fault then? That they found you?"

"Not directly. You remember that fat guy who got fresh with ya that night?"

"How could I forget," her skin crawled a little. "Was it him?"

"Yeah. Remember he cold-cocked me with a high ball glass? I told ya that red stuff all over my face was a bloody mary."

"Yeah. But I didn't think it really was."

"It wasn't, it was a black beard." Basically, a Roy Rogers with rum in it. "He laid my face wide open, too bad he wasn't sloshed enough not to notice. He called one of them 'L'Cie awareness hotlines' and tipped them off t'me. So it wasn't really your fault."

"I certainly didn't help matters."

"Maybe not...but ya more than made up for it."

Light felt her face redden a little. She swallowed again.

"What'd ya say that got him so mad anyway?"

Light felt her cheeks redden, heated. "I told him he was the load his mom should've swallowed."

Fang laughed. "Damn, that's rough. I'm impressed."

"I suppose you found him then?"

"Yup." was her only answer, coupled with a nod and eyes low and away. She found him all right, and she made him regret ever picking up a phone. Him as well as anyone even loosely involved with the Weapons Program. They simply disappeared altogether.

For a spell there was silence, almost like they were just waiting for the awkwardness to pass, as little as it was. Then Light spoke up.

"Why did you leave?" she couldn't keep the question back anymore.

Fang's expression tightened. "Knew that was comin'," she sighed, her fingers lacing together in front of her. "There's a lotta reasons."

"Are you the contact I was supposed to meet?"

"Yeah, now that ya mention it."

"Then I've got all night."

The wild L'Cie laughed a little. "It wasn't 'cause of you, if that's what you've been thinkin'. I am actually on assignment for Big Boss, but I'll get t'that. Truth is I wouldn't have left if I didn't feel like I had to."

Lightning's expression shifted, begging an explanation.

"I had a lot of things to sort out, mostly for myself, but for your sake too. At the time I wasn't someone you could count on for very much. I knew you deserved better, and I knew you weren't very safe with me as I was." she shrugged. "I had a lot of soul searchin' t'do."

Most of which she would do on the reservation with Tavisen. Being in that world, with the old ways, the old stories and songs, helped her find her way back to where she started, to walk the path again and find where she had strayed.

_"Like ya said, we don't always know how to be who we are, and sometimes who we're meant to become hits us before we're ready. But if we find some patience for ourselves, give ourselves time, we learn. You spent so many years tryin' t'hide who you are -who, not what- thinkin' it'd go away iffin' ya ignored it long enough...just tryin' t'be normal when you're so special...I think ya've lost your way a bit, darlin'. But maybe you could still find it."_ Her father's so-wise words.

"I still gotta long way t'go," Fang shook her head. "Still get bad days from time t'time, but I'm gettin' better. Even then I didn't feel like it was enough. Found out some things I really didn't like hearin'."

"Such as?"

"Turns out Caius had taken some DNA from you those months back and shipped them off to his superiors. With that I just accepted I had a much bigger job t'do, I needed to make us and the Weapons Program cease to exist. That's what I've been doin' these last few months, tracking down the files and gettin' rid of 'em. And every time I thought I got 'em all, I'd find evidence of more and more copies. Fuckers cover their bases." she chuckled. "I just...I knew you...we wouldn't be safe until I made us disappear."

Light's gaze broke, drifted away. She sniffed, "What do you mean 'we'?" As far as she was to understand, there was no "we", there's was a L'Cie, and a hume. That was it.

"Whether we like it or not, we're bound, you an' me. We can't ignore it. I'm responsible for ya."

"I can take care of myself."

"Like ya did with ol' long tooth?" one dusky brow raised, head cocking to the side to try and catch those cerulean eyes. "I don't care if ya like it, I'm gonna look after ya from this point on, ya got me?"

Another sniff. "Whatever makes you happy."

"Damn," Fang leaned back, almost stretching, breathing through her closed teeth. "I must've hurt ya bad takin' off like I did. I was hopin' you'd understand."

"I understand." Light's tone softened a little. "Doesn't fix things. The changes...it's not been easy by myself." And while she had Moira to explain her through it as best she could, there were just some comforts the geneticist could not give.

"You got the aches too, didn't ya? Moira thought you might've. She's been keepin' me up on ya. Guess I should come clean about that bein' another reason I took off." Fang seemed less than pleased to admit that last part. But she knew what Lightning was experiencing as she went through similar symptoms. Aches, sweats, the pelt coming and going in stages to where, at its worse, she could barely stand to wear clothes at all. "I had hopes you'd be normal again if I wasn't around to...aggravate it. Guess I was wrong. But...whatever my excuses...I couldn't stay. I had to make some changes if I was gonna be the person ya needed me t'be, and I couldn't do that with you around."

Lighting's brow thickened, a frown threatening her statuesque features. "You could've told me."

"Yeah, maybe I could've."

"Not even a phone call...a letter."

"I know. It was for safety's sake. The less you knew -that anybody knew- the safer everyone would be."

Light processed it slowly, bit by bit, and felt her bitterness ease as she did so. The attempted frown subsided, and she found it in her to face the woman across from her again.

"I'm sorry." it sounded forced, but Lightning was so proud she had to.

"For what?"

"For what I did. You said no...I should've respected that."

"Well," Fang smirked, "yeah, but I was awful quick t'judge ya too. Thinkin' it over, you were just doin' what ya thought was right by me. Ya never meant me any harm."

"No. Never."

"But I'll admit I was pretty cross." Fang nodded. "Felt too vulnerable I guess. Ya made me feel like a stray in need of rescuin'. I didn't wanna feel like that, though it was kinda true, even if just a little."

"But-,"

"It's all right, I don't suppose ya meant it. Certainly not in the way I was takin' it. In the end I was just scared...didn't wanna get attached, didn't feel safe...animals don't get attached."

"You're not a-,"

"Hush, I am, just a different kind." Fang winked at her, somewhat flirtatious in the gesture. With a chuckle she glanced out into the crowd, then looked back. "Wanna dance, sunshine?"

"What?" The word wasn't an inch passed her lips before Fang took her up by the wrist and pulled her from the seat. The next instant Lightning felt her body lined up to Fang's much harder one, Fang's hand on her hip and the other clasping her hand. Her free hand was at the L'Cie's upper arm. She looked up, confusion and embarrassment evident, and dark emeralds looking down to meet her eyes coupled with a smirk.

"It'll look more natural, no one will guess we're up to somethin'. Just a couple of drunk dykes havin' a good time." Fang grinned as she spoke with a hushed town, almost whispering to the hume. "What's wrong, darlin'? Don't dance?"

"No."

"Well ya do now." a small chuckle, and she pressed the line of her jaw against Lightning's hair. She wanted to be closer. Fang took a deep breath through her nose as the two moved slowly, never mind the cadence of the mediocre music. "I've missed your scent, darlin'."

The heat came back into her face and Light felt herself tense.

"Ya look good too. Clean up awful nice."

Lightning could hear the smile in her voice, somewhere through an evident sort of purr.

"The dress especially...like t'see ya in just that. That an' the necklace. Startin' t'think it suits you better than me."

A shiver up her spine, it almost rippled through her entire body. She hoped Fang didn't notice it.

"Ya got all spiffed up for me?"

"Cid told me I was going undercover, but I think I'm starting to see something else."

Fang laughed, warm puffs of air brushing Lightning's cheek. "Yeah, maybe."

"He knew, and he played me."

"Don't me mad, darlin', he was just doin' me a favor."

"What do you mean?"

"Ya see I did a lotta thinkin', 'specially after I remembered you again. I'm just tryin' t'make it up to you, standin' you up an' everythin'."

"You didn't have t-,"

"I know, I know,"

"Could you not interrupt me?"

"But I love watchin' ya squirm." another laugh as the two met eyes, though Lightning's expression was less embarrassed and more firm. But then it shifted into something akin to realization. "You cut your hair." Tragic.

"Gettin' too thick for my likin'," Fang looked away. "But it's softer now."

Was it really? Was that even possible?"

"Go ahead and have a feel, you know ya wanna."

How could she resist? Oh Etro it was, so _soft_, yet no more tame than before. "Guess you clean up nicely yourself." Light took a chance to have a closer look of her, finding the dark indigo jeans the L'Cie wore to really accentuate Fang's legs and hug them closely. Oh yes, very nice.

"I tried." the L'Cie rolled her eyes jokingly.

"So all this was a setup? A date?"

"No, not entirely, though I thought it was a nice touch. I really do have some leads on a rather hefty data installation that needs to disappear. I was hopin' you'd be up to causin' some mayhem."

"I might be." a smile graced her lips, though she tried to hide it. "Where?"

"'Bout a days drive from here. Figured you an' me could find a cheap motel, move out early come the mornin', and by this time tomorrow have the place goin' up in flames. How's that sound?"

"Sounds like fun."

"Good t'hear. Though," she paused a moment, perhaps to think as her grip tightened slightly, pressing the hume's hips closer to her own. And she sniffed her hair again. "I'm a bit surprised ya haven't rejected the motel bit."

"I'm thinking it over...weighing my options."

"What's to weigh?" there was some snark in the question.

"I could just as easily get a separate room. Or call Alyssa maybe. Even go back to Mr. Katzroy's place."

"What? Just t'spite me?"

"The thought crossed my mind."

"Oh, c'mon, sunshine, admit it," her tone lowered then, hushed again with a slight purr. "Ya missed me. You've been achin' for me for weeks...just like I've been achin' for you."

There were no words, her body just went hot. Flash and bang.

"And I've been so _good_, darlin'," Fang continued. "So good, I bet I could even keep the claws in next time we fuck."

Another hot rush. "W-what makes you think there will be a next time?" She knew Fang would catch the stutter if the L'Cie hadn't picked up on her quickened heartbeat already. "You take off, gone for months, and then think you can walk right back in?"

"Oh there's gonna be a next time, by your leave or mine. Maybe not t'night, or tomorrow, but I'm willin' to wait. And the only reason I left is to keep you safe. Gimme some credit."

Lightning swallowed. So confident, an alpha wolf if she ever saw one. "What if I told you there's someone else?"

"Then I'd call ya a liar." a low chuckle. "I'd smell 'em on ya, an' all I smell is you. Now that I think it...maybe I'll just hold ya to me tonight, get my scent back on ya. After that, iffin' you were of the mind for a little extra,"

"Cocky bitch." though there was no malice in it. She just didn't like it when people called her bluff and won.

"Perhaps." Fang nodded, then dipped her chin. All movement stopped and she captured the hume's gaze, her expression sober and honest. "I'll admit, I wouldn't have picked ya on my own, but looks like Mother Nature knew it and made sure we'd cross paths anyhow. And now that I've had proper time to get my head outta my ass, I'm beginnin' to understand."

Light could feel her heart pounding, her entire body hot.

"We may be stuck together but...I'd take ya as my mate...if you'd have me. As I see it, it's my fault ya changed like ya did, an' I should be the one t'look after ya. And I'm gonna do that even if ya tell me no."

For a moment Light didn't know what to say, couldn't find the right words if there were any to be found. What time she had been around Yeul and Caius on Muir during their recovery, she had never seen such total devotion between two people in her life. Each had been the missing half of the other, embraced and excepted, no hesitation or resistance. No question.

And now Fang was offering that, partially out of obligation and, by the way their conversation had been going, by some sort of blood-deep attraction. To her, a hume that at times she loathed, and other times wanted to kiss and caress and hold on to.

"Ya best answer before I kiss ya," and the warning was just. She was having to fight the urge, the hume's lips just too damn tempting. "'Cause it'll just start the whole mess over again if ya don't."

The heat would start again, she meant. But even under the threat of that, of her genetics taking her control away, it couldn't take away from the facts. It couldn't make her lie to herself. She felt the firm bend of Fang's finger at her chin, pulling upward and demanding her attention.

She shivered, a breath escaping. "I missed you."

Fang smiled, though gently, no snark or ego. "I missed you too, darlin'. Honest."

"Would you leave again?"

"Only if it meant keepin' ya safe, love. No less." her brow lowered slightly, showing a hint of emotional discomfort. "Ya have my word...if that counts for anythin'."

It must have, as the L'Cie didn't have to take that kiss she was craving, the hume gave it freely, eager and with an exhale of sated longing.

And she would give more, she would give everything come later that night, in that cheap motel the L'Cie had mentioned. Sprawled topless on the bed, one thigh revealed through the slit in the dress and the choker still around her neck, and Fang rising between her legs, kissing and nipping, claws staying sheathed even as she moved over her like a predator. Etro's grace, Fang looked so good in nothing but jeans.

Both of them could feel it, the reaction in their blood, potent and hot as it was in the beginning. The heat.

"Think ya can still handle me, darlin'?" Fang settled between her legs, raising one to her shoulder to nip the pale flesh of her calf.

"Let's find out."

Author's Note: There you have it, the brain puke that, oddly enough, became something more. Hope everyone enjoyed it, and if you didn't, sorry to hear that. I, for one, had a lot of fun, though my muse likely had much more. Now, as it stands, the cutoff date for the questions will be Friday, June 14th. Just to reiterate, they can be about fanfics, art, or personal if you're that curious. Otherwise, I will do my best to post the one-shot fanservice follow-up at the same time as the video, but we'll see how that goes. Love you guys, you're the best, and thank you for all your support and patience.


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